Cecilia Alzamora adds that while she was kidnapped, she shared the same detention facilities corresponding to the premises of the Homicide Brigade, at the Investigations Headquarters, located on Calle General Mackenna, in the commune of Santiago, and the Eighth Judicial Police Station, in the commune of Ñuñoa, with the following individuals: Eduardo Jara Aravena, Néstor Gonzalo Romero E., Mario Romero E., Guillermo Hormazábal S., Nancy Ascueta, Juan Capra, Haissam Chaghoury, Alejandro Navarrete, Eduardo Pérez Arza, whom she heard speaking and giving statements; she also recalls the interrogation of an elderly woman, whom they called "grandmother," who was reportedly a neighbor of the parents of María Isabel Ortega, a MIR member who was intensely sought after at that time, and two young grandsons of the aforementioned woman, who were brought before her to pressure her. To further substantiate her statements, Cecilia Alzamora indicates that she went to the Vicaría de la Solidaridad, where she gave a statement before several lawyers.

Regarding the special group COVEMA, the plaintiff indicates that its existence was proven in a previous case instructed by Minister Alberto Echavarría, as well as in the official statements of authorities of the time, such as General (R) Fernando Paredes, Director of Investigations; the Ministers of the Interior, Sergio Fernández, and of Defense, General Raúl Benavides, and General Carlos Morales Retamal, Zone Chief specially designated by Augusto Pinochet to investigate what happened in this case.

Likewise, a series of background information that would support what was previously stated is provided, which will be referred to pertinently and in a timely manner in this consideration.

Regarding the participation of the CNI, the plaintiff indicates that from the journalistic investigations of the time, it is concluded that there would be evidence regarding the participation of the CNI in the events of COVEMA, although its role would have been marginal, such as providing support in the detentions, especially in actions carried out on the street, and that due to that circumstance, the government decided to hold only the Investigations police responsible.

Subsequently, she provides information regarding the perpetrators who proceeded to detain José Eduardo Jara Aravena and Cecilia Isabel Alzamora Vejares on July 23, 1980; specifically, she refers to the vehicle the agents were driving that day, describing a cream-colored Chevrolet C-10 pickup truck, with a darker stripe on the body, without license plates.

Source: Judiciary, February 26, 2018

Visiting Minister Mario Carroza issued indictments against 11 members of the Investigations Police—now retired—for the qualified homicide of journalism student José Eduardo Jara Aravena in the so-called "Covema Case."

The magistrate prosecuted Erick Concha Arias, Manuel Hernández Fernández, Domingo Pinto Arratia, Mario Escárate Escárate, Eduardo Rodríguez Zamora, Gabriel Bravo Serrá, Jaime Cifuentes del Campo, David Mesa Fuentes, Wilfredo Indo Etchegaray, Juana Moreno Arellano, and Nelson Lillo Merodio as authors of the homicide perpetrated on August 2, 1980.

The investigation has so far determined that: "Following the death of the Army Intelligence director, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Vergara Campos, an event that occurred on the morning of July 15, 1980, on Avda.

Manuel Montt in the commune of Ñuñoa, the Second Military Court of Santiago ordered an investigation to locate the person or persons responsible for that act, for which the Investigations Police was designated to comply, forming a team, with the approval of the institution's high command, to formally take charge of the investigation."

"In parallel," the resolution continues, "to that group of officials, the Homicide Brigade, Assault Brigade, and other units of the same institution formed another device to locate the perpetrators of the lieutenant colonel's crime, who called themselves 'Covema' ('Comando de Vengadores Mártires' or 'Command of Avenger Martyrs'); under the command of the commissioners of the Homicide and Assault Brigade, José Laureano Opazo (deceased) and Nelson Byron Víctor Lillo Merodio, and integrated by the officials of the Homicide Brigade Erick Antonio Concha Arias, Manuel Segundo Hernández Fernández, Domingo Acricio Pinto Arratia, Mario Wilfredo Escárate Escárate, Jaime Rodrigo Cifuentes del Campo, and David Igal Mesa Fuentes; the officials of the Assault Brigade Eduardo Segundo Rodríguez Zamora, Gabriel Antonio Bravo Serrá, Wilfredo Manuel Indo Etchegaray; and the official of the Economic Crimes Brigade, Juana del Carmen Moreno Arellano, and they proceeded to carry out actions framed within said objective, such as inquiries, data collection, interrogations, and detention of persons, without having the corresponding judicial authorization for it."

"In this context," the indictment adds, "at noon on July 23, 1980, José Jara Aravena, in the company of Cecilia Alzamora Vejares, was traveling inside a shared taxi along Avda. Eliodoro Yáñez with Los Leones in the commune of Providencia, when a pickup truck crossed their path and a group of armed men dressed in civilian clothes descended from it, proceeding to detain them in the presence of the taxi driver and passengers.

They then put them into a pickup truck, blindfolded them, and transported them to the Cuartel Borgoño, then to a safe house located at Calle Obispo Orrego No. 241 in Ñuñoa, at that time belonging to the Investigations Police of Chile, where in captivity they were interrogated, beaten, and questioned about their political activities, especially Eduardo Jara, who was severely beaten while being subjected to interrogations, a fact that was confirmed by his friend Cecilia, who heard his laments, groans, and pleas to his captors to stop and finally help him (...) finally, on August 2, 1980, around 04:45 hours, Alzamora Vejares and José Eduardo Jara Aravena were removed from the place blindfolded by a group of officials and put into a vehicle driven by official Wilfredo Manuel Indo Etchegaray, and taken to a vacant lot in the upper sector of the commune of La Reina, where they were released. At that moment, Cecilia Alzamora, upon removing her blindfold, observed the deplorable health condition in which her friend José Jara was, and both managed to reach a residence in the area on their own to request that the residents call an ambulance, which finally transported them to the Posta 4. At the medical center, the doctor on duty confirmed the death of José Jara Aravena, which occurred at 08:15 hours on that day, August 2, 1980."

Source: poderjudicial.cl, May 16, 2015

Judge Carroza sentences two (retired) detectives from "Covema" for the homicide of Eduardo Jara

On February 26, visiting Minister Mario Carroza sentenced former detectives Eduardo Rodríguez Zamora and Nelson Lillo Merodio to five years of major imprisonment in its minimum degree as authors of the homicide of the journalism student and MIR militant José Eduardo Jara Aravena, who died in 1980 due to the kidnapping, confinement, and torture perpetrated by members of the self-styled "Comando de Vengadores de Mártires" ("Covema").

Added to that sentence are another 541 days of minor imprisonment in its medium degree for both former police officers as authors of the crime of political imprisonment and torture against fellow journalism student and friend of Jara, Cecilia Alzamora Vejares.

Around noon on July 23, 1980, Eduardo Jara and Cecilia Alzamora were traveling in a shared taxi toward the central campus of the Universidad Católica when they were intercepted at the intersection of Eliodoro Yáñez and Los Leones streets (Providencia) by a group of armed men dressed in civilian clothes, who forced them into a pickup truck.

They were transported blindfolded to the Cuartel Borgoño and then to a safe house owned by the Investigations Police (PDI), located at Calle Obispo Orrego No. 241 (Ñuñoa).

"Covema" had emerged just days earlier after a MIR commando assassinated the director of the Army Intelligence School, Roger Vergara Campos. Composed of a group of PDI officials from the Homicide, Assault, and other brigades—who acted outside of any judicial authorization—it presented itself "officially" on August 4, 1980, through an insert in the newspaper La Segunda: "Gentlemen, given the incapacity of the security and police forces, on this date we have formed the 'Comando Vengadores de Mártires' (Covema).

We assume the responsibilities that you and society have evaded."

After being transferred to the house located on Obispo Orrego, Eduardo Jara and Cecilia Alzamora were victims of systematic torture. In the early hours of August 2, 1980—and after more than a week of confinement—they were abandoned in a vacant lot in the upper sector of the commune of La Reina. Jara, 28 years old and a father of one child, died a few hours later at the Posta 4 in Ñuñoa.

Nelson Lillo Merodio, one of the two convicted for the homicide of Eduardo Jara, was, along with José Laureano Opazo (deceased), one of the leaders of Covema, a command responsible for at least 14 other kidnappings.

In the sentence, Carroza accepted the civil claims for moral damages against the State, setting compensation of $50 million in favor of Eduardo Jara's son and Cecilia Alzamora Vejares.

Seven other members of Covema prosecuted in this case as authors of the crimes of homicide and political imprisonment and torture (Erick Concha Arias, Mario Escárate Escárate, Domingo Pinto Arratia, Manuel Hernández Fernández, Jaime Cifuentes del Campo, David Mesa Fuentes, Wilfredo Indo Etchegaray, and Juana Moreno Arellano) were acquitted.

Source: ciper.cl, February 27, 2018