Belarusian Scheme: Court Keeps Ex-Judge Vivanco’s Husband and Lawyers Vargas and Lagos in Custody

Original article: Trama bielorrusa: Mantienen en prisión a esposo de exjueza Vivanco y a abogados Vargas y Lagos

The Santiago Court of Appeals has upheld the pre-trial detention measure against lawyers Mario Vargas and Eduardo Lagos, as well as Gonzalo Migueles, husband of former Supreme Court Minister Ángela Vivanco. They are implicated in the so-called «Belarusian scheme,» which is under investigation for potential corruption that allegedly caused a massive financial detriment to the state company Codelco.

According to national media, the court’s decision to reject the appeals filed by the defendants aimed at overturning the detention measure considered the severity of the alleged crimes under investigation: bribery, corruption, and money laundering.

«The prosecution claims that lawyers Vargas and Lagos, representing the Chilean-Belarusian consortium Belaz Movitec, paid 45 million pesos to former Minister Vivanco through Migueles to influence her judgment against Codelco in a failed bidding litigation,» reported TVN regarding this case.

The same channel confirmed that the three defendants will remain incarcerated at the Capitán Yáber Penitentiary Annex, where they have been held since their arrest.

This news coincides with the same day that a commission of the Chamber of Deputies was formed to examine the Constitutional Accusation against Supreme Court Minister Diego Simpertigue, also for his connections with lawyers Lagos and Vargas. Continue reading about this case:

For «breaches of probity»: Constitutional Accusation Filed Against Supreme Court Minister Diego Simpertigue

El Ciudadano