Visiting Minister of the Temuco Court of Appeals, Fernando Carreño Ortega, issued a first-instance conviction regarding the kidnapping and qualified homicide of Juan Bastías Riquelme, Leomeres Monroy Seguel, and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas, all of which occurred in October 1973 in the town of Freire, Araucanía Region.

The magistrate determined the following sentences against retired officers of Carabineros de Chile who participated in the events described below: -Retired Carabineros Sergeant 2nd Class Camilo Cumilaf Nahuelfil: acquitted due to lack of participation in the qualified kidnapping of Juan Bastías Riquelme. -Retired Carabineros Sergeant 2nd Class Erasmo Henríquez Palma: sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison for the qualified homicides of Leomeres Monroy Seguel and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas. -Retired Carabineros Sergeant 1st Class Juan Pasmiño Sepúlveda: sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison for the qualified homicides of Leomeres Monroy Seguel and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas. -Retired Carabinero Luis Henríquez Apablaza: sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison for the qualified homicides of Leomeres Monroy Seguel and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas. -Retired Carabineros Sergeant 1st Class Juan Hernández Ponce: sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison for the qualified homicides of Leomeres Monroy Seguel and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas. -Retired Carabineros Sub-officer Ramón Arias Unzueta: sentenced to 10 years and one day in prison for the qualified homicides of Leomeres Monroy Seguel and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas. This is the eleventh conviction by Minister Fernando Carreño in cases linked to human rights violations and the seventh so far in 2008.

Source: poderjudicial.cl, October 10, 2008

Ruling against former Carabineros for human rights violations confirmed

The Temuco Court of Appeals ratified yesterday the 10-year and one-day prison sentences against five retired Carabineros officers accused of human rights violations in 1973. The convicted individuals are Luis Henríquez Apablaza, Juan Palmiño Sepúlveda, Ramón Arias Unzueta, Erasmo Enrique Palma, and Juan Hernando Sprai, from the Freire Precinct, who will not be eligible for sentence reduction benefits.

The former officers participated in the double qualified homicide of agricultural leaders Leomeres Monroy Seguel (25) and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas (28) in October 1973. The former police officers began serving their sentences at the Temuco prison, where they have already been transferred.

Source: lanacion.cl, February 6, 2009

Former Carabinero convicted of human rights violations commits suicide in Temuco prison

While prison guards were conducting the routine inmate count and roll call, the body of a former Carabinero was discovered in the Temuco prison, where he was serving a sentence for his participation in a human rights violation during the military regime.

According to information from the Gendarmerie, the person who committed suicide was 72-year-old Luis Henríquez Apablaza, who had been incarcerated for two years of the 10-year sentence imposed by the Minister of the Temuco Court of Appeals, Fernando Carreño.

The former officer was suffering from severe depression due to his current situation, compounded by other health problems such as diabetes, leading him to take his own life by hanging himself with a cable television cord.

Henríquez was convicted along with five other Carabineros for his participation in the deaths of Leomeres Monroy and Carlos Aguilera at the Fundo El Roble in Freire in October 1973. One of the other convicted individuals had already attempted to take his own life; with this new death, four remain imprisoned in a special section of the Temuco jail.

Source: latercera.cl, February 11, 2011

5 former Carabineros convicted of qualified homicide

Minister Fernando Carreño, who investigates human rights violation cases in La Araucanía, sentenced five former Carabineros as perpetrators of the qualified homicides of Leomeres Monroy Seguel and Hernaldo Aguilera Salas, committed on October 17, 1973, in the commune of Freire, to a penalty of ten years and one day of medium-grade major imprisonment.

The individuals are Erasmo Ananías Henríquez Palma, Juan Héctor Pasmiño Sepúlveda, Luis Fernando Henríquez Apablaza, Juan Arturo Hernández Ponce, and Ramón Arias Unzueta. In the same case, the high magistrate acquitted Camilo Cumilaf Nahuelfil, previously identified, of the charge brought against him as the perpetrator of the qualified kidnapping of Juan Bautista Bastías Riquelme.

The case began with a complaint for alleged disappearance filed by Alejandro González Poblete on behalf of the National Corporation for Reparation and Reconciliation. On the night of October 17, 1973, a Carabineros patrol from the Freire Precinct transported Hernaldo Aguilera Salas and Leomeres Monroy Seguel as detainees from the El Roble Settlement in the Martínez de Rozas sector to the aforementioned unit in a private vehicle, with these individuals being killed along the way.

The investigation also looked into the disappearance of Juan Bautista Bastías Riquelme, who was detained on October 8, 1973, in the Allipén sector of the commune of Freire. He was then transported from that location to the aforementioned police unit, where a witness—who was also detained—saw him in very poor condition.

Source: australtemuco.cl, October 11, 2008

This is how our "brave soldiers" involved in human rights violations commit suicide

Alarm was raised this morning by the suicide of the former head of the Army Intelligence Directorate, Hernán Ramírez Rurange, who shot himself in the head with his .32 caliber revolver after leaving his apartment for the emergency stairwell of the building located at 767 Avenida Américo Vespucio Norte, apartment 123, in the commune of Las Condes, passing away hours later at the Military Hospital. (Once again, a criminal dies assisted and financed by the taxes of all Chileans).

However, this is nothing new in the military ranks or the security forces. The truth is that it has become an all-too-common practice since the investigation of human rights crimes perpetrated during the military dictatorship began.

To make matters worse, we cannot rule out future suicides, according to the words of Miguel Krassnoff's lawyer, who stated that he does not rule out that other military personnel might take "the same decision," as reported by Publimetro. "I am just coming from Punta Peuco," says the lawyer, adding that "they deeply regretted that a former general of the Republic had taken that decision." To the words of lawyer Raúl Meza are added those of Cristián Labbé himself, who told La Segunda that "This is a sign of the hopelessness of the forgotten battalions that exists due to injustice, due to hatred.

It is the hopelessness from that feeling of vengeance, that feeling of persecution after 43 years." Finally, he stated that in the so-called military family, "we know how to bear pain stoically (...) we either live with honor or we die with glory." What is meant by "Die with glory"?

Well, as we have observed, those deaths range from jumping off buildings and hanging themselves with TV cables to—the favorite method chosen by the military—shooting themselves in the head. Here we leave you a brief summary of the suicides of our "brave soldiers" who did not hesitate when it came to raping, torturing, and murdering, but cannot tolerate going to prison: Francisco Zúñiga Acevedo "El Gurka" – December 1991 In 1991, in the commune of La Reina, the former Carabineros captain and former CNI officer Francisco Zúñiga Acevedo committed suicide to avoid being put on trial; he was involved in a beating of journalists in Plaza Venezuela, known as the Gurkas case. Zúñiga was a protégé of Álvaro Corbalán Castilla, becoming head of the Special Brigade within the Anti-Subversive Division directed by Corbalán. With the latter, he participated in the fraud network known as La Cutufa. The judicial investigation of this case is what could have led this bloodthirsty repressive agent to prison. His participation in countless criminal acts (particularly in "false confrontations") led him to presume that this would be the beginning of a dead-end road. Zúñiga Acevedo participated in the Las Vizcachas massacres in 1981, Fuente Ovejuna and Janequeo in 1983, and also in Operation Alfa Carbón or the Vega Monumental case in the city of Concepción in 1984; he was also in the Corpus Christi case in 1987 (Operation Albania), to mention just a few of the criminal events in which he and his brigade fulfilled roles as executors. Mateo Tapia Flores "El Quincy" – July 1998 In July 1998, Mateo Tapia Flores, a civilian agent known as "El Quincy" among the troops of the CNI's Borgoño Barracks where he acted as a paramedic, committed suicide. The base of operations for the anti-subversive division was located at Borgoño. Raúl Fernández Benavides – April 2003 In April 2003, Army sub-officer Raúl Fernández Benavides decided to commit suicide; he had belonged to the CNI's Valdivia regional brigade in the 80s and as such had participated in the repressive events of Neltume in 1981 and in "Operation Alfa Carbón" (Valdivia episode) in 1984. Germán Jorge Barriga Muñoz – January 2005 Retired Colonel Germán Barriga Muñoz jumped from the 18th floor of a building in Las Condes. This former officer was part of the DINA's Purén Brigade and was also being prosecuted for the disappearance of Julia Retamal Sepúlveda and for the execution of union leader Jorge Lamich. His suicide occurred after a "funa" (public protest) at the place where he worked, which led to his dismissal. Barriga jumped from the 18th floor of a building in the commune of Las Condes, across from the Military School, and left a letter accusing the abandonment in which the accused military personnel had been left. Luis Garfias Cabrera – March 20, 2006 At 8 in the morning, in his home located in the commune of Las Condes, Brigadier Luis Garfias Cabrera, 68, shot himself in the head on March 20, 2006. Apparently, he committed suicide due to his connections with the murder of Colonel Gerardo Huber Olivares, days before being summoned to testify by Minister Claudio Pavez. According to the confidential report issued by the head of the Investigations Homicide Brigade (BH), Raúl Molina, Garfias's decision occurred after he visited the former Army Logistics Director, retired General Carlos Krumm, at his place of detention the week before his death. Sources linked to the process confirmed that the magistrate reportedly had information that Garfias Cabrera had been warned by Krumm "to be careful, that he could be the next one," referring to the possibility that he would be interrogated and indicted by Pavez. Added to this is the testimony of the deceased former officer's wife, who assured that a week ago, after speaking with Krumm, her husband entered a state of depression. Gonzalo Héctor Asenjo Zegers – October 5, 2006 Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Gonzalo Héctor Asenjo Zegers (50) was found dead in front of his desk on October 5, 2006, in his fifth-floor apartment in the building located at the corner of Mayecura and Martín Alonso Pinzón in the commune of Las Condes, with a gunshot wound to the thorax. Asenjo had been prosecuted as the alleged perpetrator of the kidnapping of five Frentistas in September 1987. These Frentistas are still forcibly disappeared, and everything indicates that after being murdered, they were thrown into the sea from a helicopter. Asenjo served as head of the Anti-Terrorist Unit of the former CNI and also as head of the Analysis Division of the same repressive organization. Carlos Segundo Marcos Muñoz – May 24, 2007 The former civilian agent of the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA), Carlos Marcos Muñoz, 72, hanged himself on the morning of May 24, 2007, at the Santiago Military Police Battalion facilities. Marcos left four letters, which were reportedly addressed to his relatives and the judge investigating the case known as the "Calle Conferencia" case, which was being instructed by special judge Víctor Montiglio. Marcos remained in detention at the Santiago Military Police Battalion as a co-perpetrator of qualified homicide in the case of the kidnappings and disappearances of Communist Party leaders that occurred in 1976. In that context, he had prosecuted more than fifty former DINA agents, who remain detained in various military facilities, given that the Court of Appeals has rejected on several occasions granting them provisional release, arguing that the crimes for which they are being prosecuted constitute a danger to society. Luis Alejandrino Hidalgo López – October 3, 2007 Retired Carabineros Colonel Luis Alejandrino Hidalgo López, who had been prosecuted as the perpetrator of the kidnapping and disappearance (October 1973) of the MAPU militant and president of the San Pedro peasant settlement in the IX Region, Juan Bautista Bastías Riquelme, committed suicide by gunshot at the Carabineros Hospital. The prosecution was issued by the Minister of the Temuco Court of Appeals, Fernando Carreño. The autopsy protocol performed at the Legal Medical Service revealed that the cause of death was "cranial trauma due to gunshot." Osvaldo Rubén Tapia Álvarez – May 2008 In May 2008, former Army sub-officer Osvaldo Tapia Álvarez, a DINA-CNI agent and later DINE agent between '73 and '94, ended his life. Tapia Álvarez, known as "Charles Bronson" first, and "Viejo Charly" later, began his criminal journey at the Londres 38 barracks, continued at José Domingo Cañas, Villa Grimaldi, and Borgoño. In the latter place, he served in the Café Brigade, then in the Green Brigade, eventually fulfilling functions in the General Staff of this brigade and later in the General Staff of the merged Green and Blue brigades. The criminal agent escaped by killing himself after the first statements in the trials and processes in which he was involved. Rolando Figueroa Quezada – June 2010 Retired General Rolando Figueroa Quezada, 80, committed suicide with a gunshot to the head. In the 80s, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Army's IV Division based in Valdivia. In those functions, Figueroa had a relevant participation in the events of Neltume in '81, which ended with the death of 9 MIR members, several of them executed by troops that depended on Figueroa's command (among them those commanded by the current RN deputy for Chillán, Rosauro Martínez Labbé), and others murdered after having been taken prisoner. Figueroa decided to take his own life after having been interviewed by Investigations personnel by order of the special judge of the Valdivia Court of Appeals who is investigating the events and crimes committed in Neltume in '81. The General was found dead in his private residence in the commune of La Cruz after his nanny heard the shot and immediately notified the Carabineros. His death was instantaneous. Luis Enrique Jara Riquelme – July 27, 2010 Former Carabineros sub-officer Luis Enrique Jara Riquelme (75) was found dead on the night of Tuesday, July 27, 2010, in Valdivia. He had been prosecuted since 2004 for kidnapping, qualified homicide, and frustrated homicide in the town of Paine against José Díaz Inostroza, Francisco Lizama Irarrázabal, Juan Ortiz Acevedo, Luis Ortiz Acevedo, and Jorge Pavez Henríquez, between September and October 1973. The former police officer was found at 9 p.m. on Tuesday by a passerby. The body was lying on a sidewalk of the Cruces bridge in Valdivia with a gunshot wound to the thorax, according to the initial forensic reports from the Valdivia PDI Homicide Brigade. According to statements from relatives, Jara Riquelme was going through a severe depression. Luis Fernando Henríquez Apablaza – February 11, 2011 While prison guards were conducting the routine inmate count and roll call, the body of a former Carabinero was discovered in the Temuco prison, where he was serving a sentence for his participation in a human rights violation during the military dictatorship. Luis Henríquez Apablaza, 72, who had been incarcerated for two years of the 10-year sentence imposed by the Minister of the Temuco Court of Appeals, Fernando Carreño, was going through a severe depression due to his current situation, compounded by other health problems such as diabetes, leading him to take his own life by hanging himself with a cable television cord. Henríquez was convicted along with five other Carabineros for his participation in the deaths of Leomeres Monroy and Carlos Aguilera at the Fundo El Roble in Freire in October 1973. Odlanier Rafael Mena Salinas – September 28, 2013 In his home in the commune of Las Condes, former CNI director Odlanier Mena, 87, took his own life by shooting himself in the head. The event occurred around 7 a.m. on Saturday. The defendant—a cabin-mate of Brigadier Pedro Espinoza Bravo—was enjoying a weekend release benefit from 6 p.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Sunday. His suicide was due to the fact that he was not willing to be transferred from the Cordillera Prison to Punta Peuco. Luis Mella Peñaloza – November 16, 2014 An operation kept in strict secrecy by the Military Prosecutor's Office was carried out following the suicide of a retired Carabineros officer, Luis Mella Peñaloza, 63. The man had several pending cases linked to human rights. The retired member of the Carabineros was at the Sucre detention and transit center, which belongs to the institution, as part of the resolutions of the Santiago Court of Appeals. The event occurred on November 16, 2014, when he hanged himself inside the bathroom of the house where he was staying to end his life. He left a letter at the scene for his family, where he offered apologies, asked them to understand the situation he was going through, and asserted that he was innocent of the charges brought against him. Most of the information is handled in strict secrecy by the Military Prosecutor's Office. It is to be hoped that in the face of this scenario and the threats of future suicides, the government will promote a short agenda on human rights. That the processes be expedited and that the reopening of the "Caso Quemados" be the swallow that makes the summer, so that justice finally reaches the victims of the dictatorship and the defense of human rights does not depend on the injection of visibility that the media is providing.

Source: elciudadano.com, August 13, 2015

Former Carabinero convicted of human rights violations commits suicide in Temuco prison

Luis Henríquez Apablaza had been incarcerated for two years of the 10-year total to which he was sentenced. While prison guards were conducting the routine inmate count and roll call, the body of a former Carabinero was discovered in the Temuco prison, where he was serving a sentence for his participation in a human rights violation during the military regime.

According to information from the Gendarmerie, the person who committed suicide was Luis Henríquez Apablaza, 72, who had been incarcerated for two years of the 10-year sentence imposed by the Minister of the Temuco Court of Appeals, Fernando Carreño.

The former officer was suffering from severe depression due to his current situation, compounded by other health problems such as diabetes, leading him to take his own life by hanging himself with a cable television cord.

Henríquez was convicted along with five other Carabineros for his participation in the deaths of Leomeres Monroy and Carlos Aguilera at the Fundo El Roble in Freire in October 1973. One of the other convicted individuals had already attempted to take his own life; with this new death, four remain imprisoned in a special section of the Temuco jail.

Source: latercera.cl, February 11, 2011