• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Chile

Chile: Lower Chamber Debates a Claim Against Interior Minister

  • Protester on the street after Constitutional Referendum, Santiago, Chile, Oct. 30th, 2020.

    Protester on the street after Constitutional Referendum, Santiago, Chile, Oct. 30th, 2020. | Photo: EFE

Published 3 November 2020
Opinion

The constitutional claim was admitted after a police officer pushed a 16-year-old man from a bridge into the Mapocho River in early October.

Chile's Congress is set to debate on Tuesday a constitutional claim presented by a group of opposition lawmakers against the Interior Minister Victor Perez for his responsibility regarding police brutality against demonstrators.

RELATED:

Chile: Indigenous Peoples Demand Fair Representation

The constitutional claim was admmitted by the Lower Chamber, after a policeman pushed a 16-year-old man from a bridge into the Mapocho River during the protests that took place in Santiago to support the Constitutional Referendum held on October 25th.

Perez has been heavily criticized for his passivity in controlling public order, including the national truckers' strike in August and the increasing violence in La Araucania region.

Supporters of the constitutional claim have noted that the move seeks to put an end to the impunity in the country and to respect equality before the law.

Meanwhile, President Sebastian Piñera's administration and right-wings parties have rejected the complaint against Minister Perez.

Opposition groups have assured that they have enough votes for the lawsuit to be approved and be debated by the Senate. If endorsed, the Interior minister would be removed and would be unable to occupy public positions for at least 5 years.

The claim is supported by representatives of the Christian Democratic, Democratic, Communist, Humanist, Socialist Revolution, and Regional Social Green parties.

People

Victor Perez
Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.