Chile: Ex-Police Chief Rozas Testifies Over Human Rights Offenses

Former Director of Chile's Military Police (Carabineros) Mario Rozas on Monday testified as he faces 36 claims on crimes against humanity and human rights violations, following the popular unrest unleashed in October 2019.

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Describing Rozas's testimony as "pertinent and necessary for the clarification of the facts", lawyer Claudia Perivancich presented a request to Santiago's 7th Court of Guarantee early this year in order to take his declaration as a defendant.  

The claims presented by 16 lawyers against Rozas are focused on establishing his level of awareness over the police actions and whether or not there were actions to exonerate the perpetrators.

The last legal action against him was filed in October after the police officer Sebastian Zamora was accused of pushing a teenager into the Mapocho River from the Pio Nono Bridge in the capital Santiago.

The meme reads, "Refounding Carabineros and Democracy! The removal of Mario Rozas "it's all the same" is like changing ministers or presidents. A criminal leaves and another enters. Chile does not need a change of people. We need a new Chile."

On November 19, Rozas handed over his resignation to President Sebastian Piñera, following the wide condemnation of the shooting committed by two police officers against children at a Minor National Service's residence in the city of Talcahuano.

Piñera is also involved in this judicial process along with former Interior Ministers Andres Chadwick and Gonzalo Blumel.

Meanwhile, lawyer Gabriel Zaliasnik, who defended former Ministry of Health Jaime Mañalich and former Interior Minister Victor Perez in their constitutional accusations, has been hired by Rosa for his defense.