El Ciudadano
Original article: Kast no desmiente a su vocero y diputados acuden a UNICEF por propuesta de conmutar penas a violadores de niños
A bipartisan group of legislators, led by Luis Cuello (PC), has formally requested a statement from UNICEF regarding comments made by José Carlos Meza, spokesperson for José Antonio Kast’s campaign. Meza suggested that sentence commutation could apply to those convicted of child rape, a claim that the Republican candidate did not refute. The lawmakers warned that such statements represent a serious regression in child protection.
In their letter to UNICEF, the legislators highlighted Meza’s remarks—made during a CNN program, where he argued against any “distinctions” in applying sentence commutation, even for those convicted of child rape—and noted Kast’s failure to distance himself from this view. They regard this as a political signal that is incompatible with child protection standards.
When questioned about his spokesperson’s comments, presidential candidate José Antonio Kast did not reject them, stating that any potential benefit would depend on Congress: “That is not in our program right now. It would be different if there is a law approved by Congress; we will apply the law.”
For the parliamentarians, this silence indicates an unacceptable political message.
Complete List of Signing Legislators
- Luis Cuello (PC)
- Alejandra Placencia (PC)
- Carmen Hertz (PC)
- Boris Barrera (PC)
- Daniela Serrano (PC)
- Lorena Pizarro (PC)
- Marisela Santibáñez (PC)
- Tomás Hirsch (AH)
- Diego Ibáñez (FA)
- Ana María Gazmuri (AH)
- Héctor Barría (DC)
- María Candelaria Acevedo (PC)
- Camila Rojas (FA)
- Jorge Brito (FA)
- Karol Cariola (PC)
- Matías Ramírez (PC)
- Nathalie Castillo (PC)
“An Aberrant Proposal”
Representative Luis Cuello labeled Meza’s comments as “aberrant,” asserting they equate to “encouraging impunity for those convicted of child rape.” Cuello expressed particular concern that Kast “does not condemn such statements.”
Representative Alejandra Placencia was blunt, declaring: “Pardoning child rapists is a repugnant idea.” In her view, Kast’s failure to correct this stance illustrates “the risk that the far-right poses to Chile.”
According to the signatories, the seriousness of this proposal necessitates intervention from international organizations specialized in child protection.
The Letter Was Also Sent to the Child Defender’s Office
In addition to UNICEF, the group sent the letter to the Child Defender’s Office, which in 2025 warned of the sustained rise in sexual crimes against minors.
Just in 2024:
- Over 39,000 children and adolescents were victims of sexual violence.
- This figure represents 71% of all reported cases of such crimes.
- There were 952 cases of sexual exploitation and nearly 2,000 incidents of digital sexual violence.
The legislators stated that, in such a context, “political signals must be unequivocal in favor of the victims.”
Call to Halt Backsliding
In their letter, the legislators urged UNICEF to publicly reaffirm Chile’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, particularly the duty to protect children and adolescents from all forms of sexual abuse, violence, and exploitation.
“To backtrack on this would open a dangerously wide door to impunity,” they concluded.
La entrada Parliamentarians Call on UNICEF After Kast’s Spokesperson Suggests Sentence Commutation for Child Rapists se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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