Family of Former Macul Mayor Gonzalo Montoya Criticizes Canal 13 for «Serious Irresponsibility» in Report on His Administration

Original article: Familia de exalcalde de Macul Gonzalo Montoya en picada contra Canal 13: Acusan «gravísima irresponsabilidad» en reportaje sobre gestión del exedil

The family of former Macul mayor, Gonzalo Montoya, has strongly criticized Canal 13 for airing a report about the ex-mayor’s administration, claiming it is filled with «unfounded, false, libelous accusations lacking supporting evidence,» and they have not ruled out pursuing legal action.

In a public statement, Montoya’s sister and father (Andrea Montoya Riquelme and Bartolo Montoya Vásquez) expressed their «deepest rejection» of remarks made by the current mayor of Macul, Eduardo Espinoza, and his team.

According to their statement, «The allegations made by the current mayor and his team, as well as the journalism team at Canal 13, lack judicial support and are based on fantastical accounts from third parties that have no objective evidence or serious documentary support, other than a desire to damage the reputation of the ex-mayor.»

“We regret that a national media outlet has given a platform to versions based on speculations and testimonies that clearly seem prepared and scripted beforehand, without verification, unjustly affecting the reputation of a person who served his position with commitment and conviction,” the Montoya family added.

Political Operators of Kast

Among the criticisms from Andrea and Bartolo Montoya is the claim that the report aims to «distort facts related to the ex-mayor’s personal safety, regarding the implementation (in coordination with his protection team) of certain preventative measures like an alert device used during his tenure, in light of real death threats received between 2017 and 2018 from the drug-trafficking gang Los Lobos from the Macul community, a situation widely covered by the media at the time and which the current mayor should be quite familiar with.»

“The malicious interpretation of such measures, along with claims about alleged late-night parties with women on municipal premises or participation in parties involving alcohol and drugs—though completely false and lacking any evidence aside from the journalist’s words and ‘witnesses’ aligned with Espinoza’s administration—reflect a serious communication irresponsibility on the part of the channel,” they pointed out.

Furthermore, they described the coverage as “a crude and obvious attempt to divert attention from administrative issues inherent to the current administration, led by a mayor who is heavily scrutinized for the inappropriate use of medical leaves, amounting to nearly 150 days between 2021 and 2024 (according to transparency data from the municipality itself), alongside a disastrous municipal management filled with political operators from the Republican Party and with no concrete progress other than exploiting the projects that ex-mayor Montoya initiated for the benefit of his constituents.»

In light of this, the Montoya family demanded that “Canal 13, its editors, and journalistic teams exercise a responsible approach to the right to inform, respecting principles of truthfulness, privacy, source verification, and professional ethics, without serving, as has often been the case recently, as tools for political campaigns in favor of authorities and candidates who represent the political line of the channel’s editorial stance. We also call on the Macul community and the public to inform themselves responsibly, especially in election times.”

Lastly, the family informed that their lawyers “are studying all legal actions against those who have defamed and slandered Gonzalo, which will be announced to the public in due course. For truth, respect, and responsible communication.”

“We reaffirm our support for our son and brother Gonzalo Montoya, who is still undergoing medical treatment after being the victim of an extortion kidnapping that left him close to death, recognizing his trajectory, dedication to public service, and his constant commitment to the community of Macul,” concluded the statement.

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El Ciudadano