Edgard Eugenio Cardenas Gomez
Radiotecnico Mecánico — 24 years old.
Background
Edgard Eugenio Cardenas Gomez
Radiotecnico Mecánico — 24 years old.
Case summary
Edgard Eugenio Cardenas Gomez, a 24-year-old mechanical radio technician and member of the Partido Socialista, was a victim of a human rights violation on October 5, 1973. His case occurred in San Juan de la Costa, Osorno, and is part of the "Rahue" judicial episode, which involved a total of 31 victims.
Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos[1]
On October 5, 1973, the following individuals were killed by Carabineros personnel:
Jorge Ricardo AGUILAR CUBILLOS, 28 years old, Area Chief of the Agrarian Reform Corporation (CORA) in Puerto Octay, President of the Unidad Popular Provincial Committee, and a militant of the Partido Radical;
María Ester BUSTAMANTE LLANCAMIL, 28 years old, secretary, union leader, and socialist militant; and
Edgard Eugenio CARDENAS GOMEZ, 24 years old, radio technician, socialist militant;
Following the events of September 11, the three victims went to take refuge in Bahía Mansa, in a fisherman's hut. On October 5, 1973, Carabineros from the Third Precinct of Rahue and the Bahía Mansa Station broke into the hut and killed them immediately.
Official information stated that "three extremists were killed when a group carried out a terrorist action against the Bahía Mansa Station, a port in Osorno located 65 kilometers from that city. In the confrontation that occurred on Friday night, Jorge Ricardo Aguilar, area chief of CORA in Puerto Octay; Edgardo Cárdenas Gómez, 24 years old, occupation unknown; and a third unidentified person, approximately 17 years old, were killed.
The extremists were wanted by the Zonal Headquarters under the State of Siege, as they were involved in a subversive plan against the Armed Forces. A large quantity of weapons and explosives was found in their possession."
The Commission formed the conviction that no such confrontation took place and that the deaths occurred in the manner described above, constituting serious human rights violations against the victims, who were executed outside of any legal framework. This conviction is based on the following considerations:
– The credible testimonies received, which confirm that the victims were at the indicated location when they were killed;
– The lack of plausibility that an attack on the police station occurred on the indicated date, given that the area was fully controlled by police and military forces at that time;
– The circumstance that all the alleged attackers were killed, and no police officer was injured, despite the official version indicating that the victims were carrying a large quantity of weapons and explosives;
– The fact that, when requested by the Commission, police officers from that time and place were not willing to provide their explanations regarding the events.
Judicial Case Files[2]
Episodio «Rahue» 31 víctimas
- Dario Carretta
- 1673-2003
- 1686-13
- 17-2012
- Los Lagos
- Los Rios
- Adrian Fernandez Hernandez
- German Garcia Romero
- Gustavo Munoz Albornoz
- Rafael Perez Torres
References
- 1Museum of Memoryhttps://interactivos.museodelamemoria.cl/victims/?p=1169
- 2Judicial Case Fileshttps://expedientesdelarepresion.cl/causa/episodio-rahue-31-victimas/