Former Vitacura Official Sues for $200 Million Over Psychological Damage Following Dismissal

Original article: Funcionario despedido por tener relaciones sexuales en Vitacura exige $200 millones por «daño psicológico y constantes tratos vejatorios» 

«As a direct result of the psychological and emotional harm caused by the continuous degrading treatment and other workplace violations I endured under the current municipal administration, my self-esteem and emotional stability have significantly suffered, leading to fear, stress, and generalized anxiety disorders,» stated the terminated employee in the multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Municipality of Vitacura.

A former employee of the Vitacura Municipality, dismissed after an intimate video surfaced online, has filed a massive labor lawsuit against the municipality, claiming violation of rights, moral and psychological damage, and an irregular disciplinary process.

The IT engineer, who served nearly a decade in the municipality, is seeking $200 million in compensation for the damages incurred. According to the lawsuit filed on December 18, 2025, in the 1st Labor Court of Santiago, the worker contends that his dismissal—prompted by an administrative investigation that concluded he had committed ethical breaches—was not only unjust but also severely impacted his emotional health, reputation, and personal stability.

The incident dates back to June 2025, when a video surfaced on social media showing two employees engaged in sexual activities in the Neighbor Service Office of the Civic Center in Vitacura. The municipality, led by Mayor Camila Merino (Evóvoli), initiated an investigation that resulted in the termination of both employees. While the other individual involved has not pursued legal action, the IT engineer opted to take the matter to court.

Impeccable Career

In the basis for his lawsuit, the former employee detailed his high-achieving career within the municipality. He indicated he started working in 2016 and during his tenure led significant projects, trained approximately 200 employees, and held various supervisory roles.

«Throughout my nine (9) years of service in the Vitacura Municipality, I maintained an exemplary performance rating of 7, fulfilling all my tasks comprehensively,» he asserted in the legal document.

«I never received any reprimand, not even a minor observation,» he emphasized.

Allegations of Irregularities in the Investigation

The plaintiff claims that the disciplinary process against him was conducted completely illegally, with numerous arbitrary actions taken during its investigation, both by the acting prosecutor and by Mayor Camila Merino Catalán herself.

One key point in his complaint is that the mayor publicly announced his dismissal before the investigation concluded, which, according to him, adversely affected «both subjectively and objectively, the defenses he could present during the disciplinary proceedings, degrading his position in the process and, in turn, impacting his mental health and damaging his honor.»

Additionally, he argued that this premature announcement «undermined his defense» and caused him «fear, stress, and generalized anxiety.»

Psychological Damage, Degrading Treatment, and Remedial Measures

The employee described a profound emotional impact stemming from the incident and the management by Mayor Merino.

«As a natural consequence of the psychological and emotional damage resulting from the constant degrading treatment and other workplace violations inflicted by the current municipal administration, my self-esteem and emotional stability have notably suffered, generating fear, stress, and generalized anxiety disorders, which is ultimately a type of non-material injury that I should not have had to endure,» he argued in his lawsuit.

According to La Tercera, in addition to the $200 million compensation claim, the plaintiff is requesting the following remedial measures from the Municipality:

-Publication in a community newspaper of Vitacura acknowledging that «the psychological integrity» of the plaintiff was unjustly violated.

-Ordering Mayor Camila Merino to undergo mandatory training on labor rights violations.

-Publishing a document in the municipal bulletin recognizing the violation of his rights.

So far, the Vitacura Municipality has been officially notified of the lawsuit but has not commented on the case.