National Prosecutor Acknowledges «Institutional Responsibilities» After Acquittal of 11 Defendants in SQM Case

Ángel Valencia also criticized the judiciary for not acknowledging its share of responsibility in the lengthy judicial process: "It seems that only the actions of the Prosecutor's Office are referenced, while the court distances itself from its own decisions and how those choices may have influenced the organization of the trial," stated the national prosecutor.

The Citizen

29/10/2025 7:10pm

Original article: Fiscal Nacional reconoció «responsabilidades institucionales» tras absolución de los 11 imputados en el Caso SQM

In his first statements following the acquittal of 11 defendants in the «SQM Case,» National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia acknowledged the presence of institutional responsibilities within the prosecution. He also criticized the judiciary for not recognizing its share of responsibility for the prolonged duration of the trial.

«Here, of course, there are institutional responsibilities, as well as institutional feelings or concerns, but this is a case that is still pending, at least judicially, at least legally,» said Valencia, acknowledging he received the court’s decision «with considerable frustration.»

«All trials, particularly one like this, will be subject to internal review by the Public Ministry because there is always room for improvement (…). But now I can mention that it is striking how the guarantee of a reasonable investigation time is interpreted,» the national prosecutor noted.

«According to European and inter-American jurisprudence, when assessing whether or not the timeline is reasonable, not only the activity of the Prosecutor’s Office is considered; the court’s activity is also taken into account,» emphasized Ángel Valencia.

He reiterated, «It seems that only the actions of the Prosecutor’s Office are referenced, while the court distances itself from its own decisions and how those choices may have influenced the organization of the trial.»

«The court, which reproaches the Prosecutor’s Office for the excessive duration, states that it will communicate the reasons for that assertion to us next August,» Valencia noted critically.

«The court indicated that it will notify the parties of the ruling next August. At that point, the Prosecutor’s Office will be able to assess whether or not to file an appeal, although generally, in cases like this, the Prosecutor’s Office is more inclined to seek nullification. However, there is no doubt that this case is becoming increasingly challenging,» the national prosecutor emphasized.

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