Abstract

The implementation of Indigenous public policies remains a critical challenge for nation-states. Although international frameworks have expanded the recognition of Indigenous rights, translating these commitments into effective governance arrangements often generates tensions between State institutions, sectoral regulations, and Indigenous worldviews. These tensions are particularly visible in coastal and marine governance, where overlapping uses, extractive interests, and environmental pressures converge. Drawing on the Chilean case, this article analyzes the implementation of the policy that created the Coastal Marine Spaces for Indigenous Peoples (ECMPO), which recognized Indigenous customary uses in coastal management. Although Indigenous communities played a decisive role in shaping this policy, its implementation has revealed multiple institutional, political, and cultural tensions. The article proposes an analytical framework to examine these dynamics by focusing on the circumstances, actors, values, and interests involved in the implementation process. The main information is based on the results of three focus groups, which explored the opinions of 28 Indigenous leaders (men and women) representing the 16 ECMPOs, complemented by documentary sources and media analysis. The findings highlight how implementation processes expose persistent asymmetries between Indigenous communities and other actors, challenging the development of intercultural governance in coastal spaces.