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Original article: Querella por cohecho y tráfico de influencias contra Minera Dominga: Abogado advierte que es solo “la punta de un enorme iceberg”

Admissibility of the Allegations Against Minera Dominga

Greenpeace Chile has filed a criminal complaint against all those responsible—whether as authors, accomplices, or accessories—for the crimes of aggravated bribery and breach of confidentiality in relation to the contentious Dominga port mining project owned by Andes Iron. Matias Asun, Director of Greenpeace Chile, and Mauricio Daza, criminal attorney representing the NGO, leave the courthouse.

The Seventh Guarantee Court of Santiago has admitted the complaint filed by Greenpeace Chile against those responsible for the crimes of aggravated bribery, breach of confidentiality, and influence peddling associated with the controversial Dominga mining project owned by Andes Iron. According to ADN Radio on May 21, 2026, this legal action aims to clarify the opaque judicial mechanisms through which the company sought to overturn its repeated environmental rejections.

This ruling mandates the Public Prosecutor’s Office to initiate investigations to determine whether bribery payments were made to influence Supreme Court rulings. The complaint, sponsored by prominent criminal attorney Mauricio Daza, marks a new judicial setback for a project that had already faced three administrative rejections, as reported by 24 Horas.

Mauricio Daza on the Complaint Against Minera Dominga: «The Tip of an Enormous Iceberg»

In an interview with Antonio Quinteros on the program Palabra Que Es Noticia from Radio Futuro on May 22, 2026, Mauricio Daza referred to this case as «the tip of an enormous iceberg». He explained that the complaint arose after uncovering a «hidden and implausible link» between Andes Iron and the law firm Lagos, Vargas y Silver, whose partners are implicated in the corruption scandal known as «the Belarusian Doll.» “Nobody knew about this link until the investigation, probably not even the lawyers from Anderson’s firm,” he stated.

One of the critical issues involves the substantial payments made by the mining company. Daza disclosed that the firm was hired for over 250 million to «advise» the company in the processing of Dominga. However, he questioned, “These individuals have no expertise in environmental matters or environmental litigation. So, why were they paid 250 million?” Furthermore, he asserted that the reports produced were largely «copy-pasting information available online.»

The most serious angle points directly to a Supreme Court minister. Daza recounted that Eduardo Lagos, a partner at the contracted firm, «acknowledged that Jean Pierre Matus is an associate of the Lagos, Vargas y Silver firm. He also recognized that María Cecilia Ramírez, Matus’s spouse, worked at the firm». The attorney stressed that Minister Matus had known and ruled on the Dominga project twice without recusing himself, despite the existence of «concealed and implausible payments» from Andes Iron to the minister’s entourage.

When asked why Greenpeace promotes a judicial corruption case, Daza replied firmly: «Defending the transparency and integrity of environmental institutions is also defending the environment». He warned that in Chile there exists a «culture of institutional impunity regarding serious corruption crimes committed by high-ranking authorities», and alerted that many investigations «are halted to prevent the full truth about these corruption networks from being uncovered.» The complaint aims precisely for the opposite: to clarify the truth and establish criminal responsibilities.

La entrada Allegations of Bribery and Influence Peddling Against Minera Dominga: Lawyer Warns It’s Just the «Tip of an Enormous Iceberg» se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.