The senator and president of the Democratic Revolution (DR), Juan Ignacio Latorreaddressed this Tuesday the “improperties” in the pardons granted by the President gabriel boric. In this regard, he indicated that it was a “poorly executed” decision.
“We knew that this was a complex, unpopular decision, it is not something surprising, it is not something new,” said the legislator in conversation with The Counter in La Claveabout the 13 pardons granted by the President -12 to those convicted in the context of the social outbreak and the rest to the ex-frontist Jorge Mateluna-.
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“The President chose a moment to do it, before the end of the year, and of course, that generated a series of blows with the security table, the same discussion with the National Prosecutor, and then, some errors or untidiness that end up in the exit of a Minister of State, the Minister of Justice (Marcela Rios), and his closest collaborator (of the President), such as the chief of staff (Matías Meza-Lopehandía),” added Latorre.
In this sense, he expressed that “political responsibilities are assumed for a decision that was poorly executed or that was not fully executed. It is not because of the decision itself, it is not that there is any regret on the part of the President for the decision that was carry on, not at all, there is a conviction”, however, he reiterated that “its execution is what triggers this exit and the resignation of two people very close to our project”.
Let us remember that President Boric granted the pardons on December 30. This generated criticism from the opposition and Chile Vamos -with the exception of Senator Manuel Jose Ossandon (RN) – got off the government security table.
Subsequently, a report from T13 revealed that louis castillo, one of those pardoned by President Boric had other convictions on his record. In 2005 he was convicted twice for theft, in 2006 for less serious injuries and robbery with violence and in 2017 for surprise robbery.
The pardon of Castillo generated more criticism from the opposition and triggered the resignation of Justice Minister Marcela Ríos and President Boric’s chief of staff Matías Meza-Lopehandía.
Apprehensions with new National Prosecutor
The Senate ratified yesterday the lawyer Angel Valencia as the new National Prosecutor. Senator Latorre was one of the 40 votes in favor, although he pointed out that his decision was out of “loyalty” to the President and pointed out that he has apprehensions with Valencia.
“The President asked me for my support and he asked all the pro-government forces for it and in that I was loyal to the President’s decision, knowing and also communicating, inwardly and publicly, my apprehensions and my doubts about the profile of Ángel Valencia, for her political ties, for her career in defense of complex private cases, where there was questioning of the feminist world, the world of human rights, etc.,” Latorre said.
“I said there (in the Senate) very specifically: how is the Public Ministry going to act, what will be the line from the National Prosecutor downwards with the case (Raul) Torrealba For example, knowing that it is a case in progress, there is an edge that is being investigated for possible corruption, which could splash more people from the right-wing world due to political financing and corruption in the municipality of Vitacura,” he continued.
In turn, he commented that “this is a real, concrete concern. And just like that case, there may be others, linked to other sectors, or the same case of Piñera, or to links with Piñerismo, with Chadwick, too. For other hand, the violations to the DD.HH.”.
Likewise, he said that “the bitter taste with which I am left is that the pro-government sector is divided, so to speak, in this vote, but a pragmatic and superior objective is achieved that has to do with having a National Prosecutor.”
