National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia Denies Request to Remove Prosecutor from Julia Chuñil Disappearance Case

Original article: Fiscal Nacional Ángel Valencia rechaza solicitud de remover a fiscal en caso de desaparición de Julia Chuñil

National Prosecutor’s Decision on Request from Lawyers Regarding Julia Chuñil Case

Lawyers involved in the case of the disappearance of Julia Chuñil Catricura filed a formal request to National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia Vásquez, asking for the removal of Region Los Ríos Prosecutor Tatiana Esquivel López from the case. The attorneys based their request on recent statements made by the prosecutor, which they felt «blurred» the victim’s status as an environmental defender and compromised the impartiality of the investigation, among other concerns.

The document, signed by attorneys Carmen Caifil Caifil, Karina Riquelme Viveros, and Mariela Santana Machuca, was prompted by Esquivel’s comments in an interview with the newspaper La Segunda, where she stated that «there is no evidence to suggest that she engaged in political or organized activism,» referring to Chuñil, and adding that «rather, she was a woman dedicated to her family and agricultural activities.» The lawyers deemed this comment a “false assertion” that contradicts the investigative file and undermines the principle of objectivity.

The attorneys reiterated that Esquivel’s stance is a “clear indication” that the investigation is not being conducted with due seriousness, failing to adhere to precautionary measures set forth by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that highlighted Chuñil’s leadership in defending the territory of the Mapuche Community of Putreguel. They also claimed there was a disparaging treatment towards the family and a “noticeable disparity” in how the investigation was being conducted.

They warned that the prosecutor’s statements implied a “political bias,” protecting the image of businessman Juan Carlos Morstadt and damaging the credibility of the process. They requested that the case be transferred to another region, arguing that keeping Esquivel in charge was a “true provocation” and urged the National Prosecutor to consider possible disciplinary actions.

However, the National Prosecutor’s Office, led by Ángel Valencia, decided to reject the request for the appointment of a different regional prosecutor for case RUC 2401369250-1. In its assessment, the office considered the claims made by the petitioners, which included the alleged violation of the principle of objectivity, lack of impartiality, and criminal complaints against the Regional Prosecutor for unlawful pressures.

After reviewing the relevant documentation, the National Prosecutor’s Office concluded that “no legal grounds for disqualification were invoked under Article 55 of Law No. 19.640, nor were there grounds to apply the exceptional authority to appoint a different prosecutor.” Thus, they backed the work of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Los Ríos and dismissed all allegations made against it. The resolution was communicated to the involved attorneys, confirming Tatiana Esquivel López’s continuation in the leadership of the investigation.

Access the complete resolution from the National Prosecutor’s Office in the following PDF document

National Prosecutor’s Resolution Rejecting Request from Lawyers in the Julia Chuñil Case