In La Braña, Langreo, a large police operation unfolded late Friday as more than fifty officers entered the quiet village near Tuilla. The aim was to disrupt an alleged gathering described as a “planetary awareness” meeting held at a secluded house about a kilometer above the town center. The authorities also sought hallucinogenic plants. About twenty-five attendees, including two young children, were present for the event led by AR, a healer who markets his services online as a seer, coach, father, husband, friend, and traveler.
Madrid police conducted a raid that stretched into the morning, culminating in the arrest of the house owner, AR, who is a former Langreo mayor, and two others. By Sunday noon, all four had been released after giving statements at the Langreo Court, with only charges appearing against the Swedish-descended, Venezuelan-resident shaman and the others involved, according to statements given to this outlet.
AR claims to have lived among various indigenous groups across 120 countries and to draw healing knowledge from Piaroa medicine and from the Wotuoja people of the Orinoco region in Venezuela. Police recovered a backpack containing different plants and substances, and investigators will determine whether any items meet the definition of drugs. Participants deny any criminal conduct and reject the notion that hallucinogenic plants were involved. They also deny that a cult existed.
“This individual used medicinal plants, tobacco, and resin from the Amazon mixed with herbs to heal wounds,” those detained explained after their release. Attendees described the gathering as a chance to experience “healing.” They said AR visits Asturias annually and has helped many people with physical and emotional concerns.
AR has been in Asturias since at least last Thursday, giving a talk on “planet awareness” at Soto de Rey, an event publicized on social media. The following day, he traveled to La Braña to meet a group of twenty-five. Attendees described it as a weekend spent in a relaxed atmosphere, sharing knowledge from this spiritual guide. After the Friday night events, most attendees remained at home, and on the following afternoon they gathered on the farm owned by RH, a former Somos Langreo councilor who previously led the Podemos-backed municipal ticket.
One of the detained individuals was a former councilor. They were at home again on Sunday afternoon, with the mood relaxed but the group clearly unsettled. They told this newspaper they could not understand what happened and described the action as exceedingly drastic. They spoke openly, recounting the events with a calm tone that barely masked their confusion.
La Braña residents described a confusing Friday afternoon. A bar patron recalled vans arriving in force, estimating around seventy officers. Some townspeople observed activity that seemed like drones and assumed real estate agents were involved. There was speculation about undercover police and a sense of uncertainty about what was unfolding.
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Witnesses recalled the moment police arrived around eight o’clock and that the search lasted six hours. When it became clear nothing crucial was found, relief followed the tension. Two small children were present in the house, necessitating involvement from Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office staff. Attendees from different parts of Spain, including Catalonia, described the place as idyllic but never expected a police operation of this scale.
By yesterday afternoon, attendees were trying to make sense of the events, moving from discomfort to a more reflective mood. One detainee shared a humorous note about the intensity of the operation, mentioning that pizza was ordered so the officers could eat while the process unfolded. Neighbors and participants alike recalled the scene as a remarkable disruption in a peaceful setting.
The residents of La Braña will remember the Friday when police and assault vehicles arrived in force, a moment described by a neighbor as looking like a military presence. The event left an impression that local residents will not forget quickly, reshaping how the community views unusual gatherings on the outskirts of town.