After several months of processing in Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies issued the so-called Juan Barrios Law, a regulation that was pushed by truck drivers and La Moneda, and that redefines the crime of arson and raises the penalties up to perpetual imprisonment.
“Good news for truckers in Chile. Today the Juan Barrios Law has been approved, we want to thank the Executive Power and also the Parliament, we have finally achieved what we have fought so hard for, ”said the leader of the truckers, Sergio Pérez, president of the National Cargo Transport Confederation (CNTC) .
Video via Twitter: @CNTCCHILE
Via Twitter, President Sebastián Piñera also highlighted the approval of the law, noting that the new regulations “do justice to Juan and so many men and women who have lost their lives at the hands of violence and terrorism. The approval of this law is a great advance to strengthen the conditions and security to work and live safely and in peace ”.
The law bears the name of a truck driver who died in March last year, as a result of the burns he suffered during the burning of his machine by hooded men, in the commune of Victoria.
The end of the legislative process was not without controversy, since the morning session had to be suspended, because only 46 parliamentarians arrived in the room.
The session had to be rescheduled for the afternoon, where the Chamber of the Chamber of Deputies and Deputies dispatched the additive veto of the President of the Republic to the project and with this, the project was able to pass to the enactment phase.
The proposal considers a new text for the crime of arson in an inhabited place without the result of death. It will be punished with major imprisonment in its medium degree (from 10 years) to perpetual imprisonment for whoever sets fire to a place where there are one or more people and their presence could be foreseen.
In this area, the following are considered: buildings, aircraft, ships, naval platforms, public passenger transport vehicles, cars with two or more seats, and trucks. Also, facilities for health services, storage or transportation of fuels, distribution or generation of electrical, port, aeronautical or rail energy. Likewise, it includes the facilities of subways or other places, means of transport or the like.
Said regulation had 96 votes in favor, 4 against and 16 abstentions.
The second observation adds an article with a regulation of intertemporal law regarding the application of the law by virtue of the criminal principles of the current regulations and the most favorable law for the accused. The norm was approved by 91 votes in favor, 4 against and 22 abstentions.
