Jorge Patricio Guzman Urrutia
Obrero POJH — 21 years old.
Background
Jorge Patricio Guzman Urrutia
Obrero POJH — 21 years old.
Case summary
Jorge Patricio Guzmán Urrutia, a 21-year-old laborer, died on October 8, 1987, in Santiago due to a gunshot wound to the head, in the context of the National Strike and associated demonstrations. The exact circumstances of his death remain unclear, but they occurred in an environment of political violence and repression.
Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos[1]
On October 7, 1987, a National Strike was held. During the demonstrations and incidents that occurred on that occasion, four people died:
José Enrique CAYUNAO VILLALOBOS, 20 years old, a laborer, was wounded by gunfire on the night of October 7, while street demonstrations were taking place on Avenida Grecia (Santiago). He died a month later, following several surgical interventions.
Military personnel arrived at the scene and proceeded to disperse the demonstrations by using firearms. The medical report indicated that the projectile must have been "of high caliber and high velocity," judging by the magnitude of the damage caused.
Based on the above, particularly regarding the type of wound, there is the conviction that the fatal shot was fired by military personnel. Furthermore, based on eyewitness accounts from several people, combined with general background information regarding the modus operandi of military personnel in maintaining public order, this Commission presumes that there was an excessive use of force by those same agents, who thereby violated the human rights of José Cayunao.
Felipe Antonio GUTIERREZ GARRIDO, 2 years old, was with his father on the afternoon of October 7 on a street corner near his home in Villa El Parral. He was suddenly struck by a bullet that killed him.
A witness stated that gunfire could be heard, but that the disturbances were taking place about four or five blocks away from the location. The other evidence analyzed does not allow for the origin of the fatal shot to be determined.
The testimonies regarding the context of the time lead the Commission to the conviction that Felipe Antonio Gutiérrez fell victim to the political violence existing in the area.
Jorge Patricio GUZMAN URRUTIA, 21 years old, a laborer, died due to a gunshot wound to the head, received on the night of October 7. Various accounts indicated that unidentified individuals fired weapons at people participating in street protests at the corner of Nicaragua and Estados Unidos streets (Santiago).
Given the context and the known testimonies, this Commission is convinced that private individuals deprived Jorge Guzmán of his right to life for political motives.
Carlos Rosendo VALDEBENITO ESPINOZA, 19 years old, was on Avenida Las Industrias (Santiago) on the night of October 7 when he was attacked by unknown persons traveling in an Opala taxi who were firing at demonstrators. The victim died from craniocerebral trauma caused by a pellet.
The accounts collected indicate that there were street demonstrations and that the shots originated as described; therefore, this Commission is convinced that Carlos Valdebenito was a victim of a human rights violation committed by private individuals under a political pretext.
References
- 1Museum of Memoryhttps://interactivos.museodelamemoria.cl/victims/?p=1751