Launch of «[In]Debido Proceso» Book in Valparaíso: A Critical Analysis of Criminal Prosecution in Wallmapu Amid Intensified Security Agenda

Original article: Presentan libro «[In]Debido Proceso» en Valparaíso: Un crudo análisis de la persecución penal en Wallmapu frente al endurecimiento de la agenda de seguridad

On Friday, August 28, at 6:00 PM, the book «[In]Debido Proceso: Criminal Prosecution in Wallmapu» will be presented at Librería Crisis in Valparaíso, published by Ceibo Ediciones.

The event will feature a panel discussion with the researchers behind the investigation: historian and doctor in anthropology Martín Correa Cabrera (general editor of the text), lawyer Karina Riquelme Viveros, and attorney Pablo Ortega Manosalva, who will engage in dialogue with Cristopher Corvalán, director of the School of Law at the U. de Playa Ancha and a member of the Southern Research and Defense Center.

This well-documented work draws on files, audio recordings of hearings, and judicial archives from emblematic cases, presenting a critical perspective—referred to as «the other look»—on how the Chilean penal system has shifted from protecting rights and presuming innocence to enacting selective discipline and criminalization against the Mapuche people.

In this context, the participation of lawyer Karina Riquelme is particularly significant in the current judicial landscape, as she has led complex legal proceedings in high-profile cases such as the Hurricane Case and the defense of accused individuals entangled in intelligence operation setups.

Witnesses Without Identity

Throughout its chapters, [In]Debido Proceso details severe procedural anomalies that violate international treaties ratified by Chile.

Among these, it documents the systematic use of «witnesses without identity» or those with protected identities (as seen in the ‘Peaje Quino’ and ‘Tur Bus’ cases); the manipulation and implantation of digital evidence by police intelligence units (as occurred in the «Hurricane Operation»); and institutional pressures, monitoring, and harassment against defense teams.

The authors also highlight how the violence of raids and militarization inflicts severe harm and post-traumatic stress disorders in children and adolescents within these communities, representing a blatant violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Event organizers emphasized that the book launch occurs amidst intense political debate about the security agenda and the restrictive reform proposals advocated by right-wing sectors and figures like José Antonio Kast.

While the text does not explicitly mention Kast, the authors and researchers issue a strong warning regarding the advancement of punitive legislation and the ‘populist’ use of criminal law.

In this line, the book analyzes actual reforms that have already come into effect, such as Law 21.732 enacted in February 2025, which legalized previously questioned intrusive intelligence practices, including geolocation and mass intervention of telecommunication networks.

According to the text, these regulations expand the «enemy penal law» and affect third parties unrelated to the investigations, setting dangerous precedents that undermine due process guarantees and widen the discretionary control of the state under the pretext of combating violence.

Event Details

Presentation of «[In]Debido Proceso: Criminal Prosecution in Wallmapu»
Friday, August 28
6:00 PM
Librería Crisis, Av. Brasil 1580 corner of Huito, Valparaíso
Speakers:
Martín Correa Cabrera (Editor), Karina Riquelme (Lawyer), Pablo Ortega (Lawyer). Cristopher Corvalán (Lawyer).