Chile: Policeman Guilty of Shooting Senator Fabiola Campillai

This Thursday, the Oral Court of San Bernardo found former Carabineros Captain Patricio Maturana guilty of "unlawful coercion resulting in serious and severe injuries."

RELATED:
Left Seeks Constitutional Change in Chile

The ruling of the court's three judges was unanimous. Judge Marcela Nilo said the police officer "acted without necessity, without making a proportional use of force, without obeying his protocols, without rendering aid to the victim and with abuse of his position."

The Prosecutor's Office has asked for 12 years of prison. Sentencing is expected to be announced on October 10.

Currently, a senator, Campillai, received a tear gas canister in the face fired by Maturana while waiting for a bus. She was hit in the head, and as a result, her senses of sight, smell, and taste were removed, and her skull was deformed.

Today the courts found Patricio Maturana guilty, a former Police officer who cowardly and arbitrarily blinded Senator Fabiola Campillai. The human rights violations committed during the 2019 revolt cannot go unpunished. Let us advance in justice and dignity.

At court, it was argued that Maturana's action was unjustified, as the November 2019 incident occurred when the protesters were at a great distance and not causing trouble.  

The militarized police dismissed Maturana for failing to assist the victim, and he was arrested in August 2020.

Campillai, who advocates for human rights as an activist, was elected senator last year. She is the only woman to have won a Senate seat independently, with no political party support.

Human rights organizations have denounced the heavy-handed police response during the 2019 protests.