Chile

The International Secretariat of Amnesty International publishes its own website, with country specific news and campaigns. Do check out the Chile page.

Significant Events from Newsletters 2025

February 2025

In October 2019 Renzo Inostroza, a 24-year-old university student and athlete, was with a friend who was subject to an unprovoked attack. Renzo started filming and was shot, receiving 19 pellets in his face and body, losing vision in one eye. He was featured in the Amnesty report Eyes on Chile. Now Carabineros Corporal Belisario Alexis Morales has been sentenced to eight years in prison, for using his riot shotgun without justification or compliance with protocols.  Lieutenant Fernanda Belén Cerda, who ordered the use of the weapon, was sentenced to three years in prison, under supervised release.

January 2025

Amnesty International has  issued a new Urgent Action. Last month a Commission of the Chilean Senate began debating a reform to the country’s current Migration Law that poses a grave threat to the rights of migrants, particularly the right of children and adolescents to education and health. The bill could lead to the expulsion of unaccompanied children, the indirect expulsion of minors due to their parents’ migratory status, and the arbitrary detentions of migrants and asylum seekers.  Please send a letter or email  calling on the Senate to reject this draft legislation.

Amnesty’s 2023 report on Chile

In Amnesty’s 2023 report on Chile it highlighted that during 2023 legislation was introduced that increased legal protection for the police. Meanwhile impunity persisted for human rights violations committed during protests in 2019. Also refugees and migrants are still subject to discriminatory measures and faced obstacles to international protection. Violations of the rights of LGBTI people, Indigenous Peoples and women continue.

Significant Events from Newsletters 2024

December 2024

The trial against former Carabineros lieutenant colonel Claudio Crespo has now begun; its expected to last up to a year. The prosecution hold him responsible for the shotgun blast that blinded Gustavo Gatica during the peaceful protests of 2019. Meanwhile, as the 5^th anniversary passes, thousands of other victims are trapped between hopelessness and impunity. Sebastián Méndez, 38, who was blinded in his right eye by a projectile fired by a police, took his own life on the anniversary, the 5^th victim known to have done so.

November 2024

A formal hearing launched a criminal investigation against three people who served as senior Carabineros commanders during the political repression of protests in 2019 – including the recent Director General of Carabineros, Ricardo Yáñez. The North Central Metropolitan Prosecutor’s Office announced that it is investigating them for their possible participation as perpetrators of the omissive crime of unlawful coercion, resulting in serious injuries and homicide, initiating legal proceedings. Two people died at the hands of the police and thousands suffered serious injuries, including irreversible eye damage.

On the 5^th anniversary of the protests Amnesty International said victims and their families continue to wait for justice and full reparation whilst impunity continues to prevail in the country. Of a total of 10,142 complaints of police and armed forces brutality during this period, less than 1% have obtained justice. The remaining 99% are still pending and many of them may not be investigated – some could expire after five years.  Amnesty International has consistently maintained that reform of the Carabineros is essential, but highlighted that “structural reform of the Carabineros has been practically forgotten.”

September 2024

After being rescheduled  three times, the trial preparation was held for Gustavo Gatica last month. Gustavo was blinded in both eyes after being shot during the peaceful protests of 2019. Prosecutors requested 12 years in prison for the former Carabineros officer Claudio Crespo, accused of unlawful coercion resulting in very serious injuries against Gustavo Gatica. The trial itself is expected to begin by January 2025. Gustavo has launched his own YouTube Channel to keep the public informed. Amnesty International Chile will continue to observe developments in this long campaign for justice.

July 2024

June 18 marked the 50^th anniversary of the creation of the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA). The DINA was created as a military organization outside the military chain of command; it was empowered to operate as a secret police force to monitor, arrest, imprison and eliminate anyone considered an opponent of the regime. The US National Security Archive has just published a curated collection of declassified CIA, DIA, FBI and State Department documents, along with key Chilean records, that reflect the history of DINA’s horrific human rights atrocities and terrorist crimes.

June 2024

In January an indictment was served against three current and former senior commanders of Carabineros de Chile, relating to the protests in 2019. This included the current Director General of Carabineros, Ricardo Yáñez. The indictment was to be “formalized” (forcing Yáñez to resign) in May. This has now been postponed till October 1^st. Amnesty International has sent a  letter to the National Prosecutor calling for full accountability for the violations committed during the social outbreak and the zealous safeguarding of the independence of public prosecutors’ role and work.

Last month we said charges have been brought against a specific Carabineros officer, Claudio Crespo, who is accused of blinding Gustavo Gatica in November 2019. Regrettably, a trial date for Gustavo Gatica’s trial preparatory hearing, initially scheduled for 26 April, was also postponed until 9 August. Gustavo’s legal counsel are appealing this decision. We have not been asked to take further action at this stage.

May 2024

Gustavo Gatica is also featured in the campaign to regulate policing equipment. Gustavo was blinded whilst taking part in the peaceful protests of 2019. Charges have been brought against a specific  Carabineros officer, Claudio Crespo (previously referred to by his identification number “G3”) and a trial date is expected imminently. Amnesty are currently focusing efforts on command responsibility on a separate criminal investigation, but one which can also provide justice to Gustavo and hundreds of other victims.

Meanwhile Claudio Crespo has just launched a book –  G3: Honor and Betrayal: Revelations of a police officer betrayed by the State. Dismissed from the  Carabineros, no longer on remand in prison, he is high profile on television and platforms such as X. He has founded and presides over a political party, Alternative for Chile.  Crespo has previously been accused of using excessive force, including shooting indiscriminately and blinding someone during protests in 2018. He admits to shooting his shotgun “at least 170 times” on the day Gustavo was blinded.

March 2024

The campaign for the protection of the Women Water Defenders in Chile has now been closed by Amnesty. This is partly due to changes in the dynamics of their organisation and the risk situation of women has improved; they believe that they no longer face immediate personal threats. The three women defenders will continue their activism to defend water on different fronts and with other civil society organizations.  Amnesty  Chile will continue to be in contact with them individually and provide necessary support when they require it.

Water, like other essential natural resource, is managed by private entities through usage-rights purchases. This dates back to Pinochet’s 1980 constitution. Chile’s economy is built on water-intensive, extractive industries. The country is recovering from last month’s devastating fires, that left at least 133 people dead, after a heat wave (and winds) that affected Chile, Argentina and many other parts of South America; temperatures touched 48°C. The heat exacerbates the drought; over half the population live with severe water scarcity. Demand for water significantly exceeds its availability.

January 2024

56% of Chilean voters rejected a new draft constitution to replace the country’s dictatorship-era charter.  President Gabriel Boric has said it would be his last attempt to reform the constitution. Voters rejected a progressive version in 2022, and this latest draft was drawn up by a more right-wing constitution committee. “Unexpectedly, they managed to write an even worse constitution” said Gustavo Gatica prior to voting. Gustavo, blinded during the 2019 protests was featured in Amnesty’s report “Eyes on Chile”, and is highlighted in the current Urgent Action calling to end police impunity.