34 years old, married, worker, forcibly disappeared on October 19, 1973, in Panguipulli. Jorge Vallejos Ramos, a communal councilor for the Panguipulli Forestry and Lumber Complex, was detained that day at his home by a group of military personnel and Carabineros.

He has been missing since that date. According to statements from witnesses and family members, on that day, around 10:00 hours, a patrol consisting of military personnel and Carabineros arrived at Jorge Vallejos's home, located in the rural sector of Ñancul, in the commune of Panguipulli.

After beating him and threatening his family, they forced him into a truck and took him to an unknown destination. Since then, and despite the efforts made by his relatives, it has not been possible to obtain news regarding his whereabouts.

According to statements by witnesses, his body was found in the town of Máfil by Carabineros, who buried him without notifying anyone of this fact. As reported by various press outlets of the time, after September 11, 1973, special forces groups from the Army, arriving from Santiago, reached the Panguipulli area.

Their mission was to act within the Panguipulli Forestry and Lumber Complex to end the resistance presented by approximately two hundred workers. Considering the evidence gathered and the investigations conducted by this Corporation, the Superior Council reached the conviction that Jorge Vallejos Ramos was made to disappear while he was detained by State agents.

Consequently, it declared him a victim of human rights violations.

Source: Vicaría de la Solidaridad

The proceedings are directed by the visiting judge for human rights violation cases in the jurisdictions of Temuco, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, and Coyhaique, Álvaro Mesa Latorre. This Monday, visiting judge Álvaro Mesa appeared at the Valdivian appellate court to take statements from witnesses in four cases, all in the summary stage, which he is investigating for the crimes of homicide, kidnapping, and unlawful coercion; illicit acts perpetrated in Lago Ranco, Panguipulli, Futrono, and Valdivia between September and October 1973.

On the first day of work, Judge Mesa Latorre carried out proceedings in three cases, consisting of taking statements from witnesses of the time, while for tomorrow, a personal inspection at the Nilahue River is planned.

In this context, the visiting judge carried out proceedings regarding the kidnapping of Sergio Pailamilla Treule, who was detained along with his brothers at the Panguipulli lumber complex by military personnel in October 1973.

He also conducted interrogations in the case investigating the kidnapping of Jorge Vallejos Ramos, who was detained in October 1973 at his home, located in the Ñancul sector, commune of Futrono, by Army and Carabinero personnel, and whose whereabouts remain unknown to this date.

Finally, Judge Mesa took statements from witnesses in the case investigating the unlawful coercion suffered by Domingo Héctor Lizama Alvarado, who was detained on October 9, 1973, in the Collico sector, commune of Valdivia, and transferred to the local Carabinero station.

For tomorrow, proceedings are planned in the case where the victim is Roberto Huaqui Barría, "this concerns an episode that occurred at the Nilahue River, in Lago Ranco, in September 1973. In this case, the court will carry out a personal inspection, consisting of verifying the specific location on the Nilahue River where the incident reported—which in this case is a homicide—took place," noted Judge Mesa Latorre.

The case records indicate that Huaqui Barría was crossing the Nilahue River toward the mountains when he was surprised by Carabinero personnel, who shot him, causing his death.

Source: NOTICIASLOSRIOS.CL 18/7/2022

Date: 07-18-2022

Judge Álvaro Mesa conducts proceedings in human rights cases and meets with groups and relatives of the forcibly disappeared.

The extraordinary visiting judge for human rights violation cases of the Courts of Appeal of Temuco, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, and Coyhaique, Álvaro Mesa Latorre, carried out proceedings regarding six human rights violation cases in the communes of Pucón, Panguipulli, Máfil, Futrono, and Río Negro.

Additionally, the visiting judge met with organizations and relatives of the forcibly disappeared in the context of the so-called "Neltume Episode." During the proceedings, Judge Mesa detailed that he met with relatives and witnesses of the time in the context of the illegal detention, unlawful coercion, and aggravated kidnapping of 8 young people in Pucón, an event that occurred on September 13, 1973 (case file 4.473); the kidnapping of Jorge Vallejos Ramos, who was detained in the Ñancul sector, commune of Futrono, on October 19, 1973, and whose whereabouts remain unknown to this date (case file 11-2013 V); and the homicide of Victoriano Matus Hermosilla, who was detained in October 1973 and whose remains were found in the commune of Máfil on January 15, 1974 (case file 11-2011). During the day, he also interviewed witnesses of the time in the case investigating the kidnapping and aggravated homicide of Andrés Silva Silva, detained on October 6, 1973, whose skeletal remains—it is presumed—were exhumed and moved to the Futrono cemetery (case file 16-2016 V); another of the proceedings related to the case investigating the homicide of Roberto Huaiqui Barría, who died on September 20, 2013, and whose whereabouts are currently unknown (case file 2-2014-V); finally, Judge Mesa took a statement from a witness in the framework of the case investigating the illegal detention, application of torture, aggravated homicide, and illegal burial of brothers Héctor and Guido Barría Bassay, 19 and 27 years of age respectively, detained on October 16, 1973, at the Los Riscos estate, commune of Río Negro (case file 1-2016). During his time in Valdivia, the visiting judge also met with human rights organizations and relatives of the victims of case file 1675-2003, known as the "Neltume Episode," an opportunity in which he provided the relatives of the victims who died in September 1981, in the foothills town of Remeco Alto, with the current status of the case.

Source: diarioconstitucional.cl 17/10/2018

Date: 10-17-2018