Complaint Filed Against Biobío’s Labor Secretary for Misuse of Public Vehicle and Other Irregularities

Original article: «Para comprar café e ir al médico»: Ingresan denuncia en Contraloría contra Seremi del Trabajo del Biobío por mal uso de vehículo fiscal y otras irregularidades

Antonio Rivas, the deputy from the Biobío region, has formally requested information from Camila Álvarez, the Labor Secretary of Biobío (pictured), regarding the usage of public vehicles, the contractual situation of her chief of staff, and the management of institutional social media networks, following a complaint filed against her at the Comptroller’s office concerning these issues.

Specifically, the complaint was lodged by a former employee of the Secretary’s office, who alleges that Álvarez used a government vehicle for personal activities such as buying coffee and attending medical appointments.

Moreover, the Secretary has also been accused of improperly using her office’s social media to promote a deputy from her political party, as well as concerns regarding her chief of staff, who reportedly performs duties without a valid formal contract.

In response, Deputy Antonio Rivas stated, «It is not my responsibility to determine whether or not there was irregularity here. The Comptroller will have to establish that. But I do have the duty to oversee and demand that when there are doubts about the use of public resources, the relevant information must be available,» said Rivas.

Through an official communication, the deputy has requested logs, travel sheets, and records of the government vehicles from April, May, and June 2026, in addition to specific details of the trips mentioned in the complaint, including a transfer on May 8 to the Plaza Independencia area of Concepción, and another to the Sanatorio Alemán.

Additionally, in his document, the socialist legislator requested clarification on when the chief of staff began carrying out duties, asking to see his contracts and to determine if he participated in official activities or represented the authority before having a valid contractual link.

Management of Institutional Social Media

The official communication also addresses the administration of the institutional social media accounts of the office, following concerns raised in the complaint about their potential use for political campaigning.

In this regard, Deputy Rivas requested an identification of who has managed these accounts during 2026, to understand the protocols governing their use and the measures taken to ensure political neutrality.

«The vehicles, institutional networks, and resources of a Secretary do not belong to any authority or current government. They are resources for all Chileans, and that is why their use must be completely transparent,» emphasized the representative from Biobío.

Finally, the PS deputy requested information on whether the Secretary or the Undersecretariat of Labor have been notified of the complaint to the Comptroller, and whether any internal investigation related to the reported events has been initiated.

Details of the Complaint

Some specifics of the complaint filed against the Labor Secretary of Biobío have been reported by Radio Biobío, detailing that «Secretary Camila Álvarez asked her support professional, who also acts as a driver and who is submitting this complaint, to take her to buy coffee at the Starbucks on Calle Caupolicán and Barros Arana.»

«On one occasion we drove her before heading to an award ceremony that took place at the Petrox Union. Furthermore, she mentioned that she met with ‘La Pacita’ (Deputy Paz Charpentier from the Republican Party), reflecting her close relationship since she also told us they are best friends,» according to the document reported by Radio Biobío.

«The second time we had to take her for personal errands in the Hyundai Tucson, gray, 2012 model, was in the second week of May, where she requested to be taken to the Sanatorio Alemán, as she had a doctor’s appointment. After waiting for her for about an hour, we were able to go to a scheduled institutional activity,» the complaint states.

We will continue to provide updates.