Civil Court Report Poses Risk of Dismissal for Yáber Due to Belarusian Links

Original article: Informe de juzgado civil podría provocar destitución de Yáber por antecedentes que lo vinculan a la trama bielorrusa

A recent report from the Civil Court of Puente Alto, reviewed last week by the full Court of Appeals of San Miguel, has placed Sergio Yáber, the suspended land registrar of that municipality, in a critical position. The document, prepared by a visiting judge for the annual performance evaluation, presents a contradictory scenario: it acknowledges the quality of his administrative work while simultaneously raising alarms about his connections to the investigation into the «Belarusian angle» of the Hermosilla case, where he is being investigated for money laundering, threatening his position.

The report is unequivocal in detailing the issues that overshadow his management.

«It is necessary to inform that during this period, various extraordinary situations have raised additional concerns for this magistracy regarding the intervention of the Public Ministry and law enforcement in the duties of Mr. Conservador, due to potential ties to situations of influence peddling or money laundering, which led to the seizure of some of his records,» states the text, which CIPE has accessed.

The Threat of Sergio Yáber’s Dismissal

According to sources consulted by the investigative outlet who were privy to the discussions at the San Miguel Court, several ministers expressed their intent to rate Yáber poorly, specifically in the «responsibility» category, as reported by CIPE.

The mechanism for a potential dismissal is explicitly detailed in the law. Article 278 of the Organic Code of Courts (COT) establishes that an average rating below 3.0 in responsibility or efficiency places the evaluated individual on the «Deficient List.» Subsequently, Article 493 of the same legal framework is categorical:

«Any official who appears on the Deficient List or, for two consecutive years on the Conditional List, once the respective rating is finalized, will be removed from their position by the mere operation of law.»

The grading scales, which range from 1.0 to 7.0, are as follows:

Outstanding List: 6.5 to 7 points.

Very Good List: 6 to 6.49 points.

Satisfactory List: 5 to 5.99 points.

Regular List: 4 to 4.99 points.

Conditional List: 3 to 3.99 points.

Deficient List: below 3 points.

Article 278 of the COT is clear: if the evaluated individual scores an average lower than 3.0 in responsibility or efficiency, they are automatically placed in the «Deficient List.» Moreover, Article 493 establishes that «any official who appears on the Deficient List or, for two consecutive years on the Conditional List, once the respective rating is finalized, will be removed from their position by the mere operation of law.»

In simple terms, a low rating in responsibility, practically decided according to sources, would trigger Yáber’s immediate and irrevocable dismissal without the need for a new process. The ministers of the San Miguel Court have already met their deadline for confidentially determining their ratings, and the final grade is expected to be communicated to the suspended registrar in the coming days.

Connections of Yáber to the Belarusian Scheme

The concerning «situations» referenced by the visiting judge in his report pertain to the Belarusian scheme investigation, in which Yáber is accused of his alleged involvement in a money laundering scheme alongside Gonzalo Migueles (currently in preventive custody) and the registrar of Chillán, Antonio Najle. The Public Ministry is investigating whether funds from the Belarusian consortium Belaz Movitec, identified as bribes to influence a ruling by former Supreme Court Minister Ángela Vivanco against Codelco—costing the state copper company $17 billion—were laundered through this network. Additionally, there is an investigation into an alleged coordinated campaign by Yáber to prevent the dismissal of his friend, former Santiago Court Minister Antonio Ulloa.

Suspension and Inquiry

The situation for Yáber is becoming increasingly complex. The San Miguel Court rejected, on Monday, December 1, the appeal filed by his lawyers, Guillermo Chahuán and Sebastián Contreras, which sought to overturn or mitigate the suspension of functions that has been in place since November 21.

Simultaneously, the registrar is facing an administrative inquiry opened by the same court, which is investigating his conduct in light of the serious criminal background in which he is involved.

In the coming days, with the formal notification of his performance evaluation, the outcome of this chapter will be revealed. If the ministers of the Court translate their expressed «additional concern» from the report into votes, Sergio Yáber could lose his position irrevocably.