Temuco Court Upholds Sentencing of Ex-Carabineros for Crimes Against Humanity in Lago Ranco; Family to Receive $600 Million

Original article: Lesa humanidad en Lago Ranco: confirman condena a excarabineros y $600 millones para familia de joven socialista mapuche

The Court of Appeals in Temuco has upheld the sentences for two former Carabineros who were sentenced to six years in prison for completed and attempted homicide against two high school students committed in Lago Ranco, Region of Los Ríos, during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

These individuals are former First Sergeant Mamerto Tercero Ávila González and ex-uniformed officer Carlos Emilio Galindo Ruiz. They were declared by the court as accomplices in the death of R.E.H.B., a 17-year-old Mapuche youth affiliated with the Socialist Party.

In a unanimous ruling, the Second Chamber of the appellate court dismissed claims of violations in the previous sentence, which was issued in June 2024 by extraordinary visiting judge Álvaro Mesa Latorre. This legal decision condemned Ávila González and Galindo Ruiz to effective prison sentences of six years, in addition to perpetual absolute disqualification from holding public offices and political rights, as well as a total disqualification from licensed professions during the duration of their sentences, as accomplices of the crimes.

In the civil context, the ruling also confirmed the judgment condemning the state to pay a compensation amounting to $600,000,000 for moral damages to the brothers of the Mapuche youth, while revoking the ruling regarding the state’s payment of litigation costs, citing plausible reasons for litigation.

Crimes Against Humanity in Lago Ranco

According to the ruling, R.E.H.B. was a 17-year-old student, a member of the Socialist Party, and the son of V.B.S. and E.H.C., the latter of whom was the president of the Lago Ranco Peasant Community Council and also affiliated with the Socialist Party. They lived in the Tringlo A area of Lago Ranco.

In September 1973, reports of a supposed confrontation between military forces and guerrillas were broadcasted on the radio, prompting Carabineros from the border outposts of Riñinahue and Llifén to begin searching for political sympathizers or members in the area.

Both Mamerto Tercero Ávila González and Carlos Emilio Galindo Ruiz, who were stationed at the Riñinahue outpost, proceeded to the location, where they observed approximately 60 people calling for help as a group was allegedly looting their homes, having hidden on the other side of the mountains.

The ruling further states that at this juncture, the two ex-officers spotted a group of six «young Socialists and Communists, who left the city of Lago Ranco heading to Argentina, intending to cross the mountain passes at Riñinahue, but were unsuccessful due to adverse weather conditions and snow, ultimately having to return.»

Among these youths was R.E.H.B., who along with his friend J.J.O., made their way to the Nilahue River to escape their pursuers.

Subsequently, Ávila González and Galindo Ruiz opened fire on the two young men. R.E.H.B. was struck by a bullet, began losing vitality while being carried away by the river’s current, while his friend «received a bullet wound in his back at the level of the left lung as he approached the bank, where he was then apprehended by a large group of individuals, who struck him on the head with the butt of a carbine and with feet and fists.»

He was later flown to Río Bueno and subsequently taken to the police station, transported to the hospital, and later incarcerated.

After the events, the father of the Mapuche Socialist youth rented a vessel to navigate the Nilahue River in search of his son, fearing he might be trapped among the rocks or in brush along the riverbank. However, according to the ruling, this attempt «could not be realized as Carabineros from Riñinahue prevented him from reaching the site of the incident.»

«It is important to note that Carabineros from Lago Ranco had previously participated in raids at the victim’s home, detaining the victim’s father and taking him to the Río Bueno prison,» stated the resolution.

Even though R.E.H.B.’s body was taken by the river and has never been found, the Río Bueno Court of Guarantee declared him presumed dead.

According to the appellate court, the two officers were part of the group (Carabineros and civilians) that caused the victim’s death and «did not take any actions to prevent the execution of the illegal act, thereby collaborating in it.»

«Additionally, they did not report or inform Carabineros’ superiors or any other authority about the incident, nor is there any record of investigations, nor the existence of documentation resulting from the commission of this act,» the ruling indicated.

View the ruling from the First Instance