From «Nazi Cop» to His Subordinates: Four Carabineros Convicted of Torture and Illegitimate Force Between 2016 and 2018

Original article: Del “Paco Nazi” a sus subordinados: cuatro carabineros reciben condena por torturas y apremios ilegítimos entre 2016 y 2018

In a ruling that highlights institutional violence within the Carabineros, the Fourth Criminal Court of Santiago convicted four officers from the 21st Precinct of Estación Central on December 3, 2023, for crimes of torture, illegitimate force, unlawful detainment, and falsification of public documents, committed between 2016 and 2018. The officers operated under the command of Major (r) Francisco Arzola, nicknamed the «Nazi Cop,» who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for similar crimes.

The initial ruling, which is subject to appeal, was particularly severe for Sub-Lieutenant Carlos Leal Aqueveque, for whom the prosecution—led by High Complexity Prosecutor Francisco Ledezma—sought a 20-year prison sentence. The court established his responsibility for two counts of torture, three counts of illegitimate force, one count of unlawful detention, and another count of falsification of public documents. Alongside him, Carabineros Carlos Calderón Ortega was convicted of three counts of illegitimate force; Carlos Soto Soto for one count of torture and another of illegitimate force; and Camilo Vásquez Masman for one count of torture and another of falsification of public documents. Six other defendants were acquitted.

The offenses established by the court, detailed in the opening of the case accessed by CIPER, depict a scenario of systematic abuse and brutality. Sub-Lieutenant Leal, referred to by La Tercera as a «disciple» of Arzola, was found guilty of some of the most serious incidents.

Preventive Control That Led to Beating

On January 30, 2017, Leal arbitrarily detained a citizen identified as J.A.E. during a preventive identity check. Surveillance cameras captured the victim handing over his ID without resistance. When he refused to enter a police vehicle without reason, he was subdued and beaten. According to the court’s report, the procedure was conducted “without any prior judicial arrest order against him, without him committing any prior offense, simple crime, or felony, and without any circumstances of flagrancy being established.”

Subsequently, Leal and other officers forced him onto a police bus, where he was punched in the eye. Once on the ground, Leal and two other Carabineros kicked and hit him with their fists. The beating continued inside the precinct. For this incident, the court condemned Leal not only for the illegitimate force and unlawful detention but also for falsification of public documents, stating during the hearing that the officer “repeatedly lied” throughout the process.

Torture of a 16-Year-Old Girl

One of the most alarming cases involved the assault of G.C.R., a 16-year-old girl. On November 7, 2017, a patrol car in which Leal was traveling slightly struck her as it backed up. Annoyed, she insulted the driver: “Be more careful, idiot.” Leal exited the vehicle, pushed, hit, and subdued her, claiming that she had assaulted him first and telling her, “You don’t hit the cops.” He then punched her in the head.

When taken to a booth along with her friend T.G.P., the violence escalated. According to the opening statement, “Leal grabbed T.G.P. by the hair and smashed her head against the concrete wall, before taking G.C.R. in the same manner, landing two punches to her face, one on her cheek and another on her jaw. Leal also spat at the teenager.”

Once at the precinct, upon learning that both girls lived in Pedro Aguirre Cerda, he referred to them as “communists,” insulted T.G.P. for having a child “too soon,” and derided them as failures, boasting that “he, at 25, was already a ‘lieutenant and engineer.’” This final detail was crucial to the victims’ credibility. The court verified that Leal was indeed 25 years old at that time and was about to enroll in commercial engineering studies—a fact the girls could not have known without the events taking place. The consistency of the testimonies and the correlation of injuries prompted the court to confirm the crime of torture against G.C.R. and illegitimate force against T.G.P.

Use of a Police Dog to Attack a Detainee

In December 2018, J.R.U. arrived at the precinct to report an irregular procedure during an operation for illegal commerce. There, Officer Camilo Vásquez Masman lunged at him to subdue him when a police dog bit him on the buttock. As he dropped his phone—used to record the reported incident—a commissioned officer threw it against a wall, as captured by security cameras.

Already handcuffed, J.R.U. was taken to an office where Leal entered and hit him. Vásquez Masman waited outside with the dog. Minutes later, Vásquez came in with the animal, which attacked the victim again, this time on the ankle. The camera footage, the injuries, and testimonies allowed the court to confirm this crime of torture committed by both Carabineros.

Sentencing and Next Steps

The reading of the sentence, where specific penalties for each convict will be revealed, is scheduled for February 17, 2026. At the time this article was published by CIPER, discussions were ongoing about precautionary measures for the four Carabineros.

When approached by the digital outlet in court, Carlos Leal Aqueveque’s defense attorney, Pedro Orthusteguy, declined to comment on the verdict due to time constraints.