The decision of the Santiago Supreme Court condemning the ex-military was unanimous Raúl Jofré González, Edwin Dimter Bianchi, Nelson Haase Mazzei, Ernesto Bethke Wulf, Juan Jara Quintana and Hernán Chacón Soto to 25 years in prison for the kidnapping and aggravated murder of Littré Quiroga and the singer-songwriter Victor Jaraduring Augusto Pinochet’s military coup in September 1973. Rolando Melo Silva, also charged, was sentenced to eight years in prison for covering up both crimes.
In case of Victor Jara, a famous Chilean composer and songwriter, was an active member of the Communist Party and was arrested, tortured and killed by the military during the dictatorshipsince his case is internationally known.
This week, 50 years later, the final verdict, which had already gone through several legal stages, fell like a bucket of cold water on the ex-soldier and as a sign of justice for the families of the two murdered people. Referring to the verdict, Democracy Party (PPD) Senator Ricardo Lagos Weber acknowledged the constant search for justice for victims of human rights abuses. “In the case of Víctor Jara’s killers, this conviction comes 50 years later and becomes an act of redress. I think any judgment that violates impunity is a step in the right direction.”he assured.
It was on the same Monday, August 28, that the verdict was announced when the human rights brigade of the Chilean investigative police arrived at the home of one of the convicts, the 86-year-old former brigadier general. Hernán Chacón to proceed with the arrest and take him to the Punta Peuco penitentiary, an action that came about because Chacón, armed with a gun, shot himself in the head before his arrest.
“Military man Hernán Chacón, who was convicted yesterday (Monday) of the murder of Victor Jara, committed suicide before being transferred to prison,” the investigating police told Grupo Prisa radio station, ADN.
reactions
The event caused a stir in public opinion and opinions from the political world were not long in coming, although the opinion of the President of the Republic himself, Gabriel Boric, attracted the most attention. In memory of one of the historic representatives of the Chilean Communist Party, Guillermo Teillier, he assured: “He (Teillier) died a worthy man, proud of the life he had led.” There are others who die cowardly for justice to escape.”
For the senator of the right-wing Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI) party, José Miguel Durana, Boric’s statements are excessive and show his extreme left and ideological side. “The statements made by the President of the Republic show the hatred he carries in his soul and heart, which is clearly not equal to his high assumption of office.”because he prefers to make gestures towards the extreme left instead of representing the vast majority of Chileans who want peace and security and are hopeful for Chile’s future,” said the MP.
He agrees with Durana, also Senator Francisco Chahuán of the National Renovation Party (RN), to call on the country’s highest authority and moderate his interventions, which Chahuán says he does not advocate a peaceful climate in Chile with them. let alone a few weeks after the 50th anniversary of the military coup.
“President Boric’s words appear to be an apology for the disagreement and cause Chileans to continue to look in the rear-view mirror at the events of the past 50 years and once again sow discord, hatred and division. We call on the President to be up to the task of looking to the future of the country and not to continue to stir up hatred against our history (…) we call on him to stop remaining in the small ideological divide.”
victims of the dictatorship
Amidst all the controversies, Gabriel Boric has launched the National Plan for the Search of Victims of Enforced Disappearances in the Dictatorship, the aim of which is to clarify the circumstances of the enforced disappearances and/or deaths of the victims in a systematic and permanent manner, in accordance with the obligations of the law State of Chile and international standards.
“The announcement of a National Plan for the Disappeared Prisoners is a very important signal, it complements the Retig Report and the great work of the Valech Commission.” We are committed to turning this into a new public policy aimed at discovering the truth, administering justice, and making amends. This must be an obligation of the Chilean state in the search for missing detainees since it was state agents who committed these human rights violations,” assures Senator Lagos Weber.
According to the Chilean government, various judicial inquiries and commissions related to human rights, 3,200 people were murdered or disappeared in the country between 1973 and 1990.