Adolfo Bañados Passes Away at 103, Renowned Judge Recognized for Historic Human Rights Cases

Original article: Fallece Adolfo Bañados, el juez asumió históricas causas de DDHH sobre crímenes de la dictadura

 Adolfo Bañados Passes Away at 103, Renowned Judge Recognized for Historic Human Rights Cases

Cover image: Announcement by the Faculty of Law at UChile

The Supreme Court of Chile has announced with deep sorrow the passing of former minister Adolfo Bañados Cuadra, who died early Sunday morning on February 1, 2026, at the age of 103. According to the court’s official statement, Bañados, born on September 27, 1922, dedicated 50 years to the judiciary, serving in various capacities from a judicial secretary in Calbuco in 1948 to a minister of the Supreme Court, a position he held from September 1990 until his retirement in January 1998.

His career, detailed by the court itself, was exemplary due to its comprehensive scope. After initial positions in Calbuco, Yungay, and Rancagua, he rose to become a minister of the Court of Appeals in Temuco in 1963 and subsequently in Santiago in 1966, where he served as president from 1984 to 1985.

Watch the tribute to Minister Bañados by the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court in 2022

«Important Cases of Human Rights Violations«

However, as both the Supreme Court and a biographical profile note, his monumental legacy is tied to his investigation of «important cases of human rights violations» during the dictatorship.

Two cases notably marked his career and the trajectory of justice in Chile. According to sources, as a minister of the Court of Appeals in Santiago and later of the Supreme Court, Bañados played a crucial role in the investigation of the «Lonquén Case,” concerning the disappearance of farmers in 1973, and in the historic prosecution of the assassination of former Foreign Minister Orlando Letelier in Washington. As highlighted in the profile, in 1993, he «convicted the top brass of DINA» for this crime, including General Manuel Contreras, with a ruling that set a fundamental precedent.

The ethical and moral dimensions of his work have been widely praised. The Faculty of Law at the University of Chile, his alma mater, issued a statement expressing condolences over his passing, describing him as «a true hero of Chilean justice in very tough times.» Dean Pablo Ruiz-Tagle added, as per the faculty’s publication, that Bañados was «a sober judge dedicated to fulfilling his duty, serving as a true example for new generations.»

His figure, according to sources, represents a generation of judges who faced the challenge of applying the law amid extreme tensions. His work on cases of crimes against humanity, conducted during a time of democratic transition, helped solidify crucial legal principles such as the imprescriptibility of such crimes and the criminal responsibility of state agents. In recognition of his trajectory, in December 2022, the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court paid tribute to him for his centenary, displaying his photograph in the meeting room.

The passing of Adolfo Bañados Cuadra marks the end of an essential chapter in Chile’s judicial history of the 20th century. The Supreme Court indicated that details regarding his wake and funeral will be communicated in the coming hours, as the legal and human rights communities begin to process the departure of a magistrate whose name will forever be associated with the quest for justice in one of the darkest periods of the country.