Institutional Betrayal: Manouchehri and Cicardini Propose Bill to Penalize Organized Crime Infiltration in Government

Original article: “Traición Institucional”: Manouchehri y Cicardini ingresan proyecto para sancionar infiltración del crimen organizado en el Estado

Deputy Daniel Manouchehri and Senator Daniella Cicardini, both from the Socialist Party (PS), have introduced a legislative proposal in Congress aimed at establishing the crime of «Institutional Betrayal«. This initiative seeks to impose aggravated penalties on authorities and public officials who use their positions to collaborate with criminal organizations, facilitate their activities, or seek impunity for their members.

The motion has been filed in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, garnering cross-party support from lawmakers across the political spectrum, including members from UDI, RN, PDG, FREVS, PPD, FA, and PS.

«Chile has crossed a threshold. Organized crime aims not only to control the streets but is also infiltrating the State. Therefore, we propose creating the crime of institutional betrayal. Any authority or official who uses their position to protect drug traffickers will face imprisonment and a life ban on holding public office. Those who abuse the power entrusted to them by the people to shield criminals betray the State, and such betrayal carries prison time,» stated Deputy Manouchehri.

In support of this, Senator Cicardini emphasized that «when organized crime succeeds in corrupting an official, obtaining confidential information, or financing a campaign, it transcends a mere policing issue. It becomes a threat to democracy. We need to close that door before it’s too late. In the face of organized crime, the political system must act united and without any leniency.»

This initiative arises in response to the growing presence of organized crime and the institutional capture risks it poses to the State, particularly when criminal gangs gain access to confidential information, internal protection, political financing, or collaboration from public entities. The bill establishes prison sentences, fines, and a lifetime ban from holding public office, regardless of whether the positions are elected or appointed.

The text stipulates harsher penalties when the offense is committed by individuals working in sensitive areas such as public safety, intelligence, criminal prosecution, prison administration, border control, tax compliance, or customs enforcement, especially when confidential information, state databases, weaponry, or attempts to sabotage ongoing criminal investigations are involved.

Additionally, the proposal creates a specific offense for sanctioning the financing of political campaigns and parties using resources originating from organized crime, encompassing candidates, campaign managers, electoral administrators, and financial officers who act with knowledge of the criminal source of those funds.

In total, the initiative has received signatures from deputies Daniel Manouchehri, Raúl Leiva, Marcos Ilabaca, and César Valenzuela from the PS; Gael Yeomans (FA); José Montalva (PPD); Jaime Mulet (FREVS); Mauro González (RN), Pamela Jiles (PDG), and Cristóbal Martínez (UDI).