Original article: Ministro en visita Sergio Troncoso encabezó búsqueda de detenidos desaparecidos en Pisagua

Minister Sergio Troncoso Leads Search for Disappeared Detainees in Pisagua

The extraordinary visiting minister for human rights violation cases at the La Serena Court of Appeals, Sergio Troncoso, has spearheaded a series of efforts to locate the remains of disappeared detainees in the town of Pisagua. This initiative is part of the National Search Plan promoted by President Gabriel Boric’s government.

Minister Troncoso detailed that numerous activities are currently underway in Iquique, «particularly in Pisagua, related to both the Search Plan and the processing of cases involving grave human rights violations that occurred during the dictatorship.»

«Excavations were conducted in the area adjacent to an existing grave, as there were indications based on ground-penetrating radar images suggesting the possibility of a second burial. Unfortunately, the outcome was negative,» he explained.

The visiting minister added that excavation work is still pending in the Pisagua camping area and a third site that was left unfinished in a previous campaign. Additionally, he stated, «There are various efforts to take statements that will take place both in the city of Iquique and in Alto Hospicio and Pozo Almonte.»

Moreover, concurrently, personnel from the Police Investigations’ tactical reaction team (PDI) are conducting inquiries in mining shafts, which are also linked to the Search Plan activities.

«This has been a campaign with several open fronts, sometimes with parallel operations and involving multiple institutions beyond the Judiciary, such as the Police Investigations, the Legal Medical Service, Sernageomin, and the Road Directorate,» emphasized Minister Troncoso.

Family Members Accompanying

Family members of the victims have attended the operations, which will last for a week, closely following the work led by the visiting minister.

Engracia Palominos, from the Group of Families of Political Executions and Disappeared Detainees from Iquique and Pisagua, stated, «Minister Troncoso has been fantastic with us, very supportive, because he is present with the entire Search Plan and gives us the encouragement we need.»

«He is close to us, which is what we care about to have confidence in the entire team that is working at this time. It’s a brilliant, fantastic team. A very understanding human team,» Engracia Palominos expressed.

For the families, being present during the National Search Plan operations is extremely important: «We are looking for our comrades who were executed, so we are. We need to know about them, we are in the search. It is crucial that the State is now taking responsibility for the damage done to our relatives, thus the State must also carry out this Search Plan now.»

El Ciudadano