Chillán

On September 16, 1973, the following individuals were killed in their home: Ricardo Raúl LAGOS REYES, 47 years old, Mayor of Chillán, a member of the Partido Socialista, and father of Ricardo Lagos Salinas, a leader of the Partido Socialista who was detained and forcibly disappeared in 1974 in Santiago; his spouse, Sonia OJEDA GRANDON, 29 years old, who was pregnant; and their son, Carlos Eduardo LAGOS SALINAS, 20 years old, a university student.

The information provided by the local authority stated that the victims had engaged in a confrontation with Carabineros personnel when they arrived at their home to arrest them. However, witnesses to the events have stated that when the group of carabineros and military personnel arrived, the home was raided, the Lagos family was subsequently executed, and there was no confrontation with the public security forces.

Other testimonies add that the operation had begun hours earlier, with the access points to the Lagos family home being sealed off. The death certificate for Lagos Reyes lists the cause of death as: "multiple gunshot wounds."

The bodies of the three victims of political execution were removed from the Chillán morgue by two doctors who were friends of the family and who took charge of their burial.

The official version is not acceptable to this Commission because:

– The versions provided by the witnesses to this Commission appear consistent and credible;

– Ricardo Lagos was maintained in his position as Mayor by the regional authority and was living normally in his usual residence, which leads to the presumption that he was not a confrontational person who would choose to face the forces attempting to arrest him with weapons;

– There were no traces of an exchange of gunfire;

– In addition to the above, all three died in the courtyard of the house and not inside it, as would have occurred had they been barricaded and firing weapons.

The Commission formed the conviction that the execution of Mayor Lagos and his family constituted a violation of their human rights by agents of the State.