Vicaría de la Solidaridad Denounces El Mercurio for «Ethical and Historical Distortion»: Refutes Claims on DINA Agent Armando Fernández Larios

Original article: Vicaría de la Solidaridad acusa a El Mercurio de «distorsión ética e histórica»: Desmiente haber facilitado huida de exagente DINA Armando Fernández Larios

The Vicaría de la Solidaridad emphasized that rather than «protecting» repressive agents, it contributed to exposing their crimes, supporting victims, and preserving a historical record of events even when doing so involved real risks. They stated that attributing a protective role to a DINA agent like Fernández Larios is not merely an error, but an «ethical and historical distortion that confuses public opinion and relativizes responsibilities.»

The Fundación de Documentación y Archivo de la Vicaría de la Solidaridad refuted an article published by El Mercurio regarding former National Intelligence Directorate (DINA) agent Armando Fernández Larios, who is currently detained in the United States. The organization deemed the information a serious misrepresentation that harms the memory of an institution renowned for defending human rights during the civil-military dictatorship.

The controversy arose from an article in the mentioned national media that stated, «After the assassination of Orlando Letelier in Washington, he fled Chile protected by the Vicaría, the Nunciature, U.S. diplomacy, and a faction of the Army opposed to General Manuel Contreras.»

In response to this claim, the Fundación de la Vicaría issued a public statement asserting that «this is not a disputable interpretation or a historical nuance: it is a serious error that distorts the facts and harms the memory of an institution whose role was precisely the opposite.»

El Mercurio Distorts Facts and Harms Memory

Point by point, the organization dismantled the claims made in the report, highlighting the nature and mandate of its work during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorial regime (1973-1990).

«The Vicaría de la Solidaridad did not protect, conceal, or facilitate the escape of Armando Fernández Larios. To assert otherwise is to invert history,» they asserted emphatically.

Historic Role of the Vicaría

The statement delved into the foundational mission of the organization created by Cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez in 1976 in response to the emergency situation following the military coup on September 11, 1973, and the establishment of Pinochet’s dictatorship.

Its mission was to «defend victims of repression, document human rights violations, and pursue legal actions against state repressive agencies, including the DINA,» while «its archives and legal work were essential for reconstructing cases, establishing responsibilities, and combating impunity.»

They emphasized that their work was always aimed in the opposite direction of what El Mercurio suggested, as rather than ‘protecting’ repressive agents, the Vicaría contributed to exposing their crimes, supporting victims, and preserving a historical record of events when doing so involved real risks.

The Fundación accused El Mercurio of causing significant confusion in public opinion by distorting the facts.

«Attributing a protective role to the Vicaría regarding a DINA agent is not a simple error; it is an ethical and historical distortion that confuses public opinion and relativizes responsibilities. It equates victims and perpetrators, diluting the significance of the work of those who, from the Church and civil society, confronted repression with the only available weapons: solidarity, law, and truth,» they stated.

Who Is Armando Fernández Larios?

Armando Fernández Larios, the figure at the center of the controversy, was an Army officer and a member of the DINA, the main repressive apparatus of the dictatorship. His name is inextricably linked to crimes against humanity, notably the car bombing assassination of former Foreign Minister Orlando Letelier and his American secretary, Ronnie Moffitt, on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington D.C. in September 1976. This crime, an act of international state terrorism, marked a milestone in the global visibility of Chilean repression.

Fernández Larios’ history is tied to other serious human rights violations committed in Chile. Organizations such as the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) link him to episodes of the so-called «Caravan of Death,» the military convoy that traversed the country in October 1973 executing political prisoners, and even committing crimes abroad. These events have been judicially investigated and extensively documented, both in Chile and internationally.

He is also implicated in other repressive incidents that occurred in the early months of Pinochet’s dictatorship, as well as in the kidnapping of former Cobre Chuqui manager David Silbermann.

Fernández Larios Listed as «The Worst of the Worst» by ICE

Currently, Fernández Larios is detained in the United States by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has included him in their registry of individuals with serious criminal backgrounds labeled «the worst of the worst.»

His detention opens the possibility for extradition to Chile, where he would face charges for his involvement in crimes against humanity. A decision on his extradition is expected in the coming weeks.

The response from the Fundación Vicaría de la Solidaridad aims not only to correct an erroneous claim but also to defend the historical significance of their struggle. They reject a narrative that they believe distorts facts and tarnishes their legacy, and thus the organization insists on the need for an accurate memory as an antidote to impunity and the distortion of the past.