Chile: Dismantle the Special Forces, all those responsible must go

On Wednesday, December 14th, video recordings of the operative “Comando Jungla” that ended up in Camilo Catrillanca’s murder were released. The record completely crushes the thesis defended by the government, as well as the series of lies that resulted in coarse statements to hide the obvious: Camilo was assassinated from behind with no justification. The Special Forces’ actions symptomaticof the repressive policy of the government, together with the militarization of the Wallmapu and the territorial plunder to benefit the great extractivist capital. The governments of la Concertación – Nueva Mayoría share this policy, essential element of a state inherited from dictatorship. Our proposals for the responsible people to fall.

It is necessary to move towards the dismantling of the Carabineros’ Special Forces.

The expression of what happens in the Mapuche territory is proof of the maintenance and strengthening of a unit solely prepared for repression with war tactics under the logics of an internal enemy. The same Special Forces suppress every attempt of making the right to protest prevail, as port workers are experiencing in their conflict. After several years of post-dictatorship governments, it becomes unconceivable for the antidemocratic Special Forces to exist with their high privileges and reinless commands, the outcome of this is police brutality with deadly results. The end to the militarization of the Mapuche territory must be followed by the complete dismantling of the Carabineros’ Special Forces.

All of those responsible should fall: Soto, Chadwick and all the senior officials of Carabineros.

Due to the senior officials’ responsibility in arranging the setup, they should all resign, starting withthe General Director of Carabineros, Hernes Soto. His resignation, together with that of the Interior Minister’s, Andrés Chadwick, who on December 14th announced in the name of the government a supposed “compromise and decision to collaborate with the investigation that the Public Ministry is carrying out”, is nothing but an attempt to clean the political image of the government, evading their responsibility.

Consequently, we propose an Independent Research Commission. A justice that has shown its corrupt and rotten face, as well as carabineros have, cannot be trusted. It adds up to the persistence of a series of irregularities, from “Hurricane Operation” to the embezzlement by senior officials. These are actions of an institution that operates outside the democratic framework, where justice has not served the role that corresponds to it; that is, impunity persists.

Return to the streets to demand trial and punishment of those responsible of Camilo Catrillanca’s death.

The government and Carabineros show their crisis. December 14th’s evidence buries any temptation to accompany a policy that derives in death. Unfortunately, statements are not enough to be able to proceed to the trial and punishment of those responsible of Camilo’s assassination or to break the ties to the inheritance of dictatorship that the Special Forces display, that is why political and social organizations must make themselves available to movilizations. The Frente Amplio should drop its parliamentary passivity and use its position to call for a demonstration against the government’s policy, just as the CUT and CONFECH should.

Dismantle the Special Forces!
Chadwick, Soto and senior officers: resign!
For an independent research commission and for trial and punishment!
For the recovery of all the usurped territory!

Movimiento Anticapitalista / Juntas y a La Izquierda – Chile