Arrest Orders Issued for Attorneys Mario Vargas and Eduardo Lagos in Codelco Embezzlement Scheme Linked to Belarusian Firm

Original article: Ordenan detención de abogados Mario Vargas y Eduardo Lagos por montaje a favor de empresa Bielorrusa en desfalco a Codelco

On Tuesday, November 4, various national media outlets reported on actions taken by the PDI and the Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of the so-called «Belarusian Angle.» These actions included arrest warrants against businessman Gonzalo Migueles, husband of former Supreme Court Minister Ángela Vivanco, as well as attorneys Mario Vargas and Eduardo Lagos.

Notably, Vargas and Lagos had represented the Belaz Movitec Consortium in a lawsuit against Codelco that resulted in a substantial 17 billion pesos awarded to the Belarusian company. This case is currently under investigation by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Los Lagos.

In this context, according to preliminary information from Ciper, attorney Eduardo Lagos voluntarily presented himself to the Carabinero’s OS7 unit. Additionally, on the same day, police reportedly raided the office shared by both professionals in the El Golf neighborhood of the capital.

«The investigation led by the Regional Prosecutor of Los Lagos began with chats between Migueles and the now former prosecutor of Aysén, Carlos Palma, in which the spouse of former Minister Vivanco made offers related to the nomination of the National Prosecutor. This probe is looking into potential influence peddling. Subsequently, other information related to the Belarusian consortium angle was added to this inquiry,» stated the report by Ciper.

Litigants Against Jadue

Upon hearing the news, journalist Patricio Mery recalled that Vargas and Lagos were also litigious attorneys in the case against former Recoleta Mayor Daniel Jadue.

«Litigants in the Jadue case are being arrested. An arrest order has been issued against Mario Vargas and Eduardo Lagos for staging evidence in favor of the Belarusian company involved in the embezzlement of Codelco. Both are partners at Hermosilla. Both linked to Chadwick. Experts in setups; they did it to Codelco and they did it to Jadue too. Both were operating on assignment,» Mery wrote on his social media account X.

We will continue to provide updates.