The judge with special dedication for human rights cases, Miguel Salgado, indicted nine people for the crime of aggravated kidnapping, including four former Carabineros officials and five farmers, who are held responsible for the disappearance of 24 people in the Alto Biobío sector between September and November 1973.

Magistrate Salgado stated that the investigation "for aggravated kidnapping" has not been easy, due to the lack of cooperation provided to him, without ruling out indicting two other former uniformed officers.

However, the magistrate valued the preliminary investigation initiated in 2000 by the head of the Santa Bárbara Criminal Court, Waldemar Koch. Salgado assumed the role of special judge by resolution of the Supreme Court, following the agreements of the Dialogue Table.

After being notified of the resolution against them by Judge Salgado, the nine defendants were held in the Los Ángeles prison. Four of them are former Carabineros officials who, in 1973, were serving at the Santa Bárbara Carabineros station.

These are Planté Aravena González, José Godoy Godoy, José Pulgar Riquelme, and Héctor Echeverría Beltrán. The civilians, mostly farmers from the area, are: José Valdivia Dames, Luis Barrueto Barne, Manuel Barrueto Barne, Jorge Domínguez Larenas, and Bernardo Larenas Larenas.

Source: El Mostrador, November 4, 2002

Intense proceedings for cases of forcibly disappeared persons carried out in Santa Bárbara

Visiting Minister Carlos Aldana took statements, and ordered reconstructions, inspections, and confrontations. Two very busy days were experienced between this Tuesday and Wednesday in the town of Santa Bárbara, Bío Bío region.

They were also tense moments, charged with feelings and painful memories. Relatives of the forcibly disappeared from the area came face to face with their perpetrators, within the framework of a series of proceedings ordered by the visiting minister, Carlos Aldana, appointed by the Concepción Court of Appeals to hear fifteen cases of human rights violations.

Among them is the case regarding the detention and disappearance of seven people that occurred on September 20, 1973, in which a patrol composed of civilians and Carabineros participated, which is held responsible for the disappearance of 24 people in total.

This case was substantiated by the Santa Bárbara Court, in the first instance by Judge Waldemar Koch and later by Miguel Salgado, who had exclusive dedication to this case and in October 2002 issued indictments for the crime of aggravated kidnapping against four former Carabineros and five civilians.

These are former Lieutenant Plante Euclides Aravena Sáez, who was in command of the patrol; along with José Jaime Godoy Godoy, José Heraldo Pulgar Riquelme, and Héctor Echeverría Beltrán. The civilians indicted were Jorge Valdivia Dames, José Valdivia Dames, Luis Barrueto Bartning, Manuel Barrueto Bartning, and Jorge Domínguez Larenas.

All of them are on provisional release. The victims are José Domingo Godoy Acuña, Julio César Godoy Godoy, and Desiderio Aguilera Solís, detained at the "El Huache" farm, located about 8 kilometers from Santa Bárbara.

In the latter city, Manuel Salamanca Mella, Mariano Godoy Acuña, and Miguel Cuevas Pincheira were apprehended later. Subsequent inquiries allowed it to be established that a command called "Voluntary Collaboration Force with the Carabineros of Chile," created by the head of the Santa Bárbara station, Plante Aravena, with the specific objective of "searching for extremists," operated in the detentions.

This Tuesday, and within the framework of a series of proceedings ordered by Minister Aldana, victims and perpetrators met again. That day, he concentrated his efforts on taking statements from about thirty people to ratify, clarify, or specify situations.

All the defendants participated, except for Héctor Echeverría, who is hospitalized, according to reports. On Wednesday, the situation was more exhausting, as the judge ordered some reconstructions, such as that of the detention of Miguel Cuevas Pincheira, husband of Norma Panes, which occurred on September 20, 1973.

This took place in the house they inhabited at the time, where a school now exists. For this reason, the scene was carried out on the street. Those who witnessed it admired the courage of Mrs. Norma and two of her daughters, who were 10 and 9 years old at the time and were witnesses to their father's detention. "The attitude of the guys was impressive; they would call them, and they would stand next to her and deny everything." There were confrontations, questions, and counter-questions in a proceeding that was witnessed by a significant number of Santa Bárbara residents.

The lawyer for the Human Rights Program, Nelly Navarro, confirmed that it was an important proceeding within the framework of this case, although she acknowledged that nothing new emerged, except for the usual contradictions, since while some say they had no participation in anything, others say they were only present at the detentions, but that they do not know what happened afterward.

Likewise, for the Association of Relatives of the Forcibly Disappeared, it was an important step that they hope will soon lead Minister Aldana to issue a sentence in this case. "At least progress is being made," they said. Nelly Navarro said, in any case, that new proceedings will surely be ordered before the closing of the summary and the subsequent issuance of sentences.

Source: Tribunadelbiobio, September 6, 2005

Santa Bárbara and Quilaco in 1973

The Concepción Court of Appeals issued a sentence in the investigation into the kidnapping of 29 people between September and November 1973, within the framework of the military dictatorship. Visiting Minister Carlos Aldana of the Concepción Court of Appeals issued a first-instance sentence in the investigation into the kidnappings of 29 people, which occurred in the towns of Quilaco and Santa Bárbara, Bío Bío Region, between September and November 1973.

The magistrate issued a conviction against the people who participated in the aggravated kidnappings that occurred in Santa Bárbara of José Rafael Zúñiga Aceldini, José Secundino Zúñiga Aceldini, José Gilberto Araneda, Juan de Dios Rubio Llancao, Julio Rubio Llancao, José María Tranamil Pereira, José Guillermo Purrán Treca, José Domingo Godoy Acuña, Julio César Godoy Godoy, Desiderio Aguilera Solís, José Nazario Godoy Acuña, Manuel Salamanca Mella, José Mariano Godoy Acuña, Miguel Cuevas Pincheira, Juan de Dios Fuentes Lizama, Juan Francisco Fuentes Lizama, Elba Burgos Sáez, Sebastián Hernaldo Campos Díaz, Aliro Oporto Durán, and Sergio D'Apollonio Petermann. Meanwhile, the sentence also covers the kidnappings that occurred in Quilaco of Cristino Humberto Cid Fuentealba, José Félido Pinto, Luis Alberto Cid, Luis Alberto Bastas Sandoval, Raimundo Salazar Muñoz, Gabriel José Viveros Flores, Segundo Marcial Soto Quejón, and José Roberto Molina Quezada. Those sentenced for the Santa Bárbara kidnappings are: Planté Euclide Aravena Sáez: 10 years and 1 day. No benefits. Héctor Isaías Echeverría Beltrán: 7 and a half years. No benefits. José Jaime Godoy Godoy: 7 years. No benefits. José Heraldo Pulgar Riquelme: 7 years. No benefits. Jorge Denis Domínguez Larenas: 6 and a half years. No benefits. Sergio Amado Fuentes Valenzuela: 6 and a half years. No benefits. Jorge Eduardo Valdivia Dames: 6 and a half years. No benefits. José Roberto Valdivia Dames: 6 and a half years. No benefits. Luis Enrique Ricardo Barrrueto Barting: 6 and a half years. No benefits. Manuel Dario Barrueto Barting: 6 and a half years. No benefits. Pedro Segundo Ruiz Pardo: 541 days. The benefit of conditional remission was granted. Meanwhile, those convicted for the Quilaco kidnappings are: Eugenio Villa Urrutia: 7 years. No benefits. José Eleodoro Burgos Sandoval: 7 years. No benefits. Juan Carlos Burgos Belauzarán: 7 years. No benefits. Carlos Santiago Sepúlveda Rivera: 7 years. No benefits. José Feliciano Gutiérrez Ortiz: 7 years. No benefits. Exequiel del Carmen Celedón Barrera: 7 years. No benefits. In addition, the civil lawsuit filed against the State was accepted, determining that 60 million pesos must be paid to Gretel del Carmen Godoy Acuña for the kidnapping of her brother Sebastián Campos Díaz; 80 million pesos to Jacinta Godoy Acuña for the kidnapping of her spouse Manuel Salamanca Mella, and 15 million pesos for the kidnapping of her brothers José Domingo, José Nazario, and José Mariano Godoy Acuña; 70 million pesos to Ana María D'Apollonio Zapata for the kidnapping of her father Sergio D'Apollonio Petermann; 70 million pesos to Ana María Zúñiga Beroiza for the kidnapping of her father José Zúñiga Aceldini, and 10 million pesos for the kidnapping of her uncle José Secundino Zuñiga Aceldini. Meanwhile, the convicted individuals must pay, jointly and severally, 80 million pesos to Norma Panes Panes, spouse of Miguel Cuevas Pincheira, and 40 million pesos to Maritza Pilar, Fabiola del Carmen, Víctor Hugo, Dorian Inés, and Miguel Ángel Cuevas Panes (children of Miguel Cuevas Pincheira), since this family group did not file an action against the State.

Source: La Nación, June 15, 2011

Concepción Court of Appeals issued conviction for dictatorship crimes in Santa Bárbara and Quilaco

The visiting minister of the Concepción Court of Appeals, Raquel Lermanda, issued a first-instance sentence in the investigation into the kidnappings of 29 people, which occurred in the towns of Quilaco and Santa Bárbara, Bío Bío Region, between September and November 1973.

The magistrate issued a conviction against the people who participated in the aggravated kidnappings of José Rafael Zúñiga Aceldini, José Secundino Zúñiga Aceldini, José Gilberto Araneda, Juan de Dios Rubio Llancao, Julio Rubio Llancao, José María Tranamil Pereira, José Guillermo Purrán Treca, José Domingo Godoy Acuña, Julio César Godoy Godoy, Desiderio Aguilera Solís, José Nazario Godoy Acuña, Manuel Salamanca Mella, José Mariano Godoy Acuña, Miguel Cuevas Pincheira, Juan de Dios Fuentes Lizama, Juan Francisco Fuentes Lizama, Elba Burgos Sáez, Sebastián Hernaldo Campos Díaz, Aliro Oporto Durán, Sergio D’Apollonio Petermann (all of them occurring in Santa Bárbara); and of Cristino Humberto Cid Fuentealba, José Félido Pinto, Luis Alberto Cid, Luis Alberto Bastas Sandoval, Raimundo Salazar Muñoz, Gabriel José Viveros Flores, Segundo Marcial Soto Quejón, and José Roberto Molina Quezada (occurring in Quilaco). The determined sentences are as follows: Planté Aravena Saez: 14 years. José Jaime Godoy Godoy: 11 years. Héctor Isaías Echeverría Beltrán: 11 years. Jorge Domínguez Larenas: 10 years and one day. José Heraldo Pulgar Riquelme: 11 years. Sergio Amado Fuentes Valenzuela: 10 years and one day. Jorge Eduardo Valdivia Dames: 10 years and one day. José Roberto Valdivia Dames: 10 years and one day. Luis Enrique Ricardo Antonio Barrueto Bartnning: 10 years and one day. Manuel Darío Barrueto Bartnning: 10 years and one day. José Segundo Ruiz Prado: 5 years and one day of imprisonment. Eugenio Villa Urrutia: 10 years and one day. José Eleodoro Burgos Sandoval: 12 years. Juan Carlos Burgos Belauzarán: 10 years and one day. Carlos Antonio Sepúlveda Rivera: 11 years. José Feliciano Gutiérrez Ortiz: 10 years and one day. Exequiel del Carmen Celedón Rivera: 10 years and one day. Sergio Alejandro Pino Cabeza: Acquitted. In the civil aspect, the filed lawsuits were accepted, determining that the State must pay various sums to the victims' relatives for the moral damage caused by the kidnapping of their relatives. In addition, the convicted individuals must assume a payment of various amounts for the same act. It is worth mentioning that in 2011, Minister Carlos Aldana had issued a conviction for the same events; however, the sentence was annulled by the Concepción Court of Appeals, so Minister Lermanda assumed the case as a non-disqualified minister.

Source: Angelino.cl, May 10, 2013