Guerra Contradicts Chadwick in Prosecutor’s Office: Reveals Private Meeting with Piñera at Former Minister’s Home

Original article: Guerra contradice a Chadwick ante la Fiscalía: sitúa una reunión privada con Piñera en la casa del exministro

In his statement to the Public Ministry, former regional prosecutor Manuel Guerra contradicted the testimony of Andrés Chadwick, admitting he held a private meeting with former President Piñera at the residence of the then Minister of the Interior in January 2020.

During his second appearance before the Prosecutor’s Office on July 7, related to the investigation for aggravated bribery, malfeasance, and breach of secrets, the former prosecutor, who is currently in preventive detention at Capitán Yáber, attempted to draw a distinction between his relationship with lawyer Luis Hermosilla, who is facing charges of bribery, tax crimes, and money laundering as part of the Audio Case, and his connection with the former cabinet secretary.

«Unlike Luis Hermosilla, I do not have, nor did I have, a friendship with Andrés Chadwick,» Guerra asserted, describing their interaction as merely professional and limited to a cordial relationship connected to the academic sphere. However, this claim contrasts with the fact that he admitted to meeting privately with Piñera on January 9, 2020, at the home of the Interior Minister in Vitacura.

According to the declaration obtained by the Bío Bío Investigation Unit, the ex-prosecutor justified the meeting by arguing that he aimed to inform the then President about the need to maintain police teams throughout the summer to address investigations stemming from the social outbreak, as well as to criticize his administration’s stance regarding supposed foreign interference in the country.

Guerra maintained that his intention was to provide «hard data» to prevent the government from making mistakes, although his testimony revealed that these efforts were conducted outside official channels, facilitated through Luis Hermosilla and executed in the private setting of Chadwick’s residence.

«I am interested in talking to him (…) to help him avoid making foolish decisions and to provide him with some hard data (…). Obviously not at La Moneda and in an ultra-private or secret manner,» he indicated, as reported by the cited media.

Guerra’s statement not only contradicts the version offered by Chadwick to the Prosecutor’s Office, denying the meeting with Piñera, but also exposes the depth of his ties with power during his tenure at the Oriente Prosecutor’s Office.

Communication with Chadwick and Hermosilla Regarding the Penta Case

The Prosecutor’s Office investigated his role in sensitive cases for the right, such as the Penta case, where his management removed charges against Senator Iván Moreira and Santiago Valdés.

When asked by investigators if there were communications with Chadwick and Hermosilla concerning these cases, Guerra admitted: «Yes, there were communications where I discussed the status of the case, but I never provided confidential investigation information,» justifying that his comments were based on decisions that were already public or about to become public.

This admission, although nuanced, highlights a flow of information between the prosecutor and political operators on the right, which the Prosecutor’s Office seeks to classify as a breach of secrets, one of the crimes for which he is being prosecuted.

Aspirations to Join the CDE

According to Bio Bío Chile, in his statement to the Public Ministry, Guerra was asked about his professional aspirations after his time at the Public Ministry, revealing efforts to join the State Defense Council (CDE) and subsequently to establish a law firm with his trusted contacts.

The prosecutor denied that Hermosilla or Chadwick played a role in the vacancy of the CDE, asserting that his inquiry to the criminal lawyer about María Eugenia Manaud’s seat was for «pure professional curiosity,» and ruled out his chances «due to having investigated the President (Piñera).»

Regarding the formation of a law firm, Guerra stated that his intention was to join a physical space by paying rent or a «roof community,» and that it was Hermosilla who ultimately informed him there was no space available. However, he did manage to establish himself at the San Sebastián University, a fact that reinforces the web of political and academic connections surrounding the ex-prosecutor, who is now under scrutiny by the law.