Security Minister Cordero Comments on Vivanco’s Arrest: «A Very Severe Institutional Blow»

Original article: Ministro Cordero por detención de Vivanco: «Es un golpe institucional muy severo»

Security Minister Luis Cordero stated that the arrest of former Supreme Court Judge Ángela Vivanco «is a very strong image.» He affirmed, «We have no historical records of a similar situation in the past regarding the Supreme Court’s trajectory.»

This past Sunday night, OS7 Carabineros detained former Supreme Court Minister Ángela Vivanco Martínez at her home in the municipality of Las Condes. The operation, ordered by the Seventh Guarantee Court of Santiago, marks a critical point in the corruption investigation known as the «Bielorrussian Network» or «Bielorrussian Doll» case.

On Monday, Minister Luis Cordero addressed the incident, labeling it a «very severe institutional blow» and reflecting on its profound implications for the Chilean judiciary.

The operation occurred around 9:00 PM on Sunday. OS7 officers, accompanied by regional prosecutor Marcos Muñoz and Vivanco’s defense attorney Jorge Balladares, entered the former judge’s residence under a detention and search warrant.

After an operation lasting approximately one hour, Vivanco was handcuffed and taken away by Carabineros, an image that quickly circulated across the country and on social media.

Prosecutor Muñoz detailed that the procedure was carried out normally. «All legal formalities were observed, and her rights were read aloud,» he stated, adding that «there were no incidents or altercations.»

The prosecutor pointed out that «the operation was conducted at the appropriate time, once the respective resolution was obtained.»

Following her arrest, the former minister was taken to police facilities to be available to the Seventh Guarantee Court, where she will be formally charged regarding bribery and money laundering.

Minister Cordero: «We have no historical records of a similar situation»

In statements to Radio Duna, Security Minister Luis Cordero addressed the seriousness of the moment and the situation surrounding the former judge.

«It is a very strong image because regardless of who it is, the arrest of a former Supreme Court minister, who was also removed from her position due to the events leading to her arrest, is undoubtedly a very severe institutional blow,» he said.

He added, «This issue is exceedingly serious, and I believe it is even more severe in the context and role that the Supreme Court plays as an institutional arbiter.»

The minister elaborated on the essential role of the highest court amid social polarization.

«In polarized societies, which is partly what Chile has experienced in recent years, with levels of polarization that I believe are lower than in the rest of the world, Supreme Courts play a crucial role as mediators of that tension. Therefore, when you have a corruption case impacting the Supreme Court, that institutional arbiter is undeniably weakened,» he reflected.

Cordero emphasized the historical uniqueness of Vivanco’s case, which constitutes an unprecedented event in Chile’s judicial history.

«We have no historical records of a situation like this in the past concerning the Supreme Court’s trajectory. The conflicts one might note that bordered on criminal matters in the 19th century and early 20th century bear no resemblance to this, as they pertained to different kinds of disputes.»

Consequently, he considered that this incident ranks among «the most complex issues regarding public powers in our country.»

However, the secretary of state urged that one should not focus solely on the disruptive image of the arrest. «That image should not be the only takeaway… The question is, what compensates for all of this? Because the impact of this is a severe impact on trust,» he raised.

In this regard, Cordero highlighted the actions that the Supreme Court has undertaken to address the credibility crisis.

«The Court has taken measures, electing a president not only because she is the first woman president but also because she has a well-defined profile regarding corruption. She is probably one of the most stringent ministers in the Supreme Court on this issue, Minister [Andrea] Chevesich,» he noted, as quoted by Emol.

«What I mean is that the Court also sent an institutional signal in these terms, and this process will be a difficult journey,» concluded the Security Minister, anticipating the complex judicial road ahead.

Vivanco to be Formally Charged with Bribery and Money Laundering

The formal charges on Monday fall within the investigation led by the Los Lagos Prosecutor’s Office, which accuses Vivanco of being part of a corruption network aimed at judicially favoring the Chilean-Belarusian consortium Belaz Movitec (CBM) in its litigation against Codelco.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the former minister received bribes funneled through her partner, Gonzalo Migueles, via the consortium’s lawyers, Mario Vargas and Eduardo Lagos – to avoid disqualification and expedite the process for CBM. This allegedly led to the state-owned copper company having to pay over $17 billion to the consortium.

Currently, Vargas, Lagos, and Migueles are in preventive detention at the Captain Yáber Annex.

Additionally, the former judge is alleged to have participated in the laundering of those funds, a mechanism in which, according to the investigation, the land registry officials Sergio Yáber (Puente Alto) and Yamil Najle (Chillán), and currency trader Harold Pizarro intervened, who are currently under night house arrest for their collaboration.