El Ciudadano
Original article: “Un homenaje a Crespo en la misma calle donde dejó ciego a Gatica”: Caiozzama instala cruda intervención en Santiago
Renowned Chilean visual artist Claudio Caiozzi, widely known as Caiozzama, has unveiled a stark installation at the intersection of Vicuña Mackenna and Carabineros de Chile Street in Santiago. This location marks the spot where, on November 8, 2019, then-lieutenant colonel of Special Forces of Carabineros, Claudio Crespo, fired pellets that struck the face of current deputy Gustavo Gatica, leaving him blind.
Caiozzama, celebrated for his wall interventions featuring photomontages or paste-ups with socially and politically pertinent messages, shared images of the work on his social media, which he described as: «A tribute to Crespo in the same street where he left Gatica blind».
Originally a photojournalist, the urban artist nicknamed Caiozzama by friends—after the galaxy protector deity from the animated series Dragon Ball Z—gained recognition after the social uprising in 2019, installing his works outside the Gabriela Mistral Museum (GAM) and around Plaza Italia, known by citizens as Plaza Dignidad.
Among his most notable interventions are Rebelde, featuring the image of the Novice Rebel; Low Cost, a critique of the fashion industry; Love and Homeland; Matapacos and the depiction of Jesus Christ, blinded in one eye, holding a sign with the phrase: “Do not forgive them; they know what they do”, referencing police violence. In partnership with Greenpeace, he executed an intervention at the front of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) titled “Let’s Release the Water”, as part of the “Let the Water Go” campaign to highlight the water crisis facing the country.
Caiozzama has lived in capitals such as London, Beijing, and Santo Domingo, and since 2015 has participated in exhibitions, fairs, and international urban art festivals. His work is marked by social and political critique, employing satire and irony to provoke reflection.
«A Tribute to Crespo in the Same Street Where He Left Gatica Blind»
On this occasion, the visual artist installed a work referencing one of the most emblematic cases of abuse and police violence recorded during the social turmoil.
It’s important to recall that the events date back to November 8, 2019, when Gustavo Gatica, then studying Psychology at the Academia de Humanismo Cristiano University, decided to join the protests at Plaza Italia. However, while at the intersection of Vicuña Mackenna and Carabineros de Chile street, he suffered injuries to both eyes after being struck by pellets from a riot control shotgun fired by then-lieutenant colonel of the Carabineros de Chile, Claudio Crespo, resulting in irreversible vision loss.
In a post on his Instagram account, Caiozzama stated that the installation was created «at the same corner where The Butcher (Claudio) Crespo shot Gustavo Gatica in the eyes», describing it as a «small reminder of the injustice in this place called $hile».
The artwork depicts Crespo wearing the Carabineros uniform, with a helmet, a riot shotgun slung across his back, and a body-worn camera like the one he had on the day of the assault against Gatica, whose footage he manipulated. This resulted in his exit from the police force after a formal investigation.
Additionally, he is shown wearing an apron with the phrase: «Crespo Butcher», which is visibly stained with blood, holding a knife in his right hand, alluding to the nickname «The Butcher» that the former officer received in Valparaíso, where he was in charge of repressing the student movement in 2011, easily distinguishable by his 2-meter height and his anti-communist shouts.
This nickname gained traction after the gunfire that blinded Gatica, as well as other serious incidents, such as the severe injuries he caused to a protester in Huechuraba in 2018 and the assault on a child in Valparaíso.
The urban artist’s work features a table with a bloodied tablecloth, laden with chunks of meat and a platter filled with blood and torn-out eyes, referring to the more than 460 victims of ocular trauma recorded in Chile during the social upheaval of 2019.
Notably, the image of a child sitting on the ground, wearing wings and with his eyes covered in bandages, with blood dripping down, also stands out in the piece.
«A Small Reminder of Injustice»
The intervention that Caiozzama describes as «a small reminder of the injustice» experienced in Chile follows the unanimous ruling by the Santiago Court of Appeals absolving ex-Carabinero Claudio Crespo, despite proving that it was his shots that hit Gustavo Gatica and left him blind.
This decision solidified the ruling made earlier this year by the Fourth Criminal Trial Court of Santiago, which became irrevocable after the nullity appeal submitted in mid-June by the Prosecutor’s Office and three plaintiffs—the National Institute of Human Rights, the State Defense Council, and attorney Carlos Gajardo—was rejected. This appeal contended that the trial court made serious errors in evaluating the evidence presented during the trial, indicating at least 22 pieces of evidence were not adequately considered, with some not even mentioned in the final resolution. Thus, a new trial should be conducted.
The ruling from the court, which was upheld by the Court of Appeals, sparked controversy by establishing a judicial paradox: on one hand, the judges plainly concluded that Crespo was the sole author of the pellets that hit Gatica’s face on that November 8, 2019. However, invoking the Naín-Retamal Law retroactively, it was determined that the then-lieutenant colonel acted in legitimate defense, a status that, as we recall, was modified by this new legal norm.
Despite the appellate court’s resolution, Deputy Gatica emphasized, «The legal truth has been established: Claudio Crespo shot me and left me blind.»
«Today, some are trying to suggest that Claudio Crespo is innocent. He is not. The courts determined who was responsible for the injuries that changed my life forever. The acquittal does not erase the truth nor the accountability proven during the process,” he noted, affirming that he and his legal team will continue to seek justice in Chile and, if necessary, in international arenas.
La entrada Artistic Tribute to Crespo in Santiago at the Site of Gatica’s Tragedy se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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