▲ Manuel Monsalve, former Undersecretary of the Interior of Chile, escorted after his arrest as part of an investigation into an alleged rape of a subordinate.Photo Ap

Aldo Anfossi

Correspondent

La Jornada Newspaper
Friday, November 15, 2024, p. 26

Santiago. After 32 days of being reported for sexual abuse and rape of a subordinate, the former Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve, who was in charge of the country’s public security, was arrested yesterday by the Chilean authorities to be prosecuted before a court. .

Monsalve, 58 years old, a doctor and member of the Socialist Party for three decades (from which he has just resigned), was arrested in Viña del Mar, while he was taking refuge in his daughter’s apartment, to be transferred to the facilities of the Sexual Crimes Brigade of the Investigative Police (PDI), in the Chilean capital, to which he entered handcuffed.

The case, which became public on October 17, shakes the presidency feminist of Gabriel Boric: his trusted man at the forefront of the fight against crime – perceived as the country’s biggest problem – and the most valued representative of the government by citizens, was involved in a major crime, abusing the powers of his office.

Boric became aware of the case two days before it was revealed, alerted by his Minister of the Interior, but he did not immediately dismiss Monsalve, who continued in office until the matter exploded in the press and he resigned at the headquarters of the government.

This time, Boric reacted instantly, briefly publishing on his social networks that In Chile no one is above the law.

The events occurred on Sunday, September 22 and Monday, September 23, when Monsalve summoned a 32-year-old woman, under the pretext of a work meeting, to a restaurant in the capital, where both had dinner and consumed alcohol. After saying goodbye to their police escort, they both took a taxi to the Panamericano Hotel, where the representative usually stayed, and spent the night there.

According to what the taxi driver stated to the prosecution, she got into the vehicle without appearing fully lucid, but expressed that she wanted to be taken to her apartment. However, upon arriving at said place, Monsalve allegedly put her back in the taxi, ordering her to go to the Panamericano Hotel.

According to reports, when she woke up next to Monsalve on Monday, the woman confronted him, accusing him of having insulted her, although without remembering what happened and rejecting any further approach.

In the following weeks, Monsalve allegedly used his powers to instruct the PDI intelligence directorate to access security camera records from the hotel and restaurant. He would also have requested that intelligence agents contact the victim to dissuade her from filing a judicial complaint, actions that could constitute crimes of abuse of authority, among others. A week ago, in his only statement on the case, Monsalve indicated that In a judicial process it is necessary to maintain the presumption of innocence and my silence does not mean that I am avoiding any issue; I am not used to doing so, no matter how complex they are, and my position is due to respect for due process.. The official will be formalized this morning, and it is highly probable that he will be remanded in preventive detention.