El Ciudadano
Original article: Las dudas que genera el trato judicial a los chats de Andrés Chadwick en el Caso Audios
Patricio Mery points to the former minister as the true power behind the scenes in relation to Hermosilla, raising questions about the institutional protection that keeps him untouchable.
In a recent episode of Sentido Común! from El Ciudadano, Javier Pineda, the outlet’s director, spoke with investigative journalist Patricio Mery about the extensive networks of power potentially linking former Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick to the so-called Audio Case. The discussion ranged from his political history to serious suspicions regarding the handling of his phone by judicial authorities, highlighting concerns regarding transparency and equality before the law in Chile.
During the conversation, Mery firmly positioned the cousin of the late former president Sebastián Piñera as the head of the network operated by lawyer Luis Hermosilla, who is currently in preventive detention. The journalist argued that the focus of justice and public attention on the controversial lawyer does not reflect the complete picture, as Hermosilla was acting under the orders of a higher political power, stating, «it seems very unfair what he has experienced, because Hermosilla was the political operator for Andrés Chadwick, so the one who should be imprisoned as the intellectual author is Mr. Chadwick, who is untouchable.»
This alleged protection surrounding the former Interior Minister was attributed to the historical ties he maintains with politicians from various parties, ensuring that his connections extend well beyond the right and even reach sectors of the center-left. According to Mery’s analysis, this political shield is what prevents justice from acting equitably in Chilean courts, warning that the former secretary of state would not fall easily because his connections span the entire political spectrum, generating a protective cover over the case.
One of the main points of debate focused on the controversial meeting between national prosecutor Ángel Valencia and Andrés Chadwick, and the suspicions surrounding the fate of the former minister’s text messages. Although the head of the Public Ministry publicly denied that the chats were deleted and asserted that the device is stored in a warehouse, the lack of leaks regarding these conversations in the press continues to raise doubts. In response to this, Mery insisted that the preferential treatment of this evidence likely aims to protect the Piñera administration, asserting, «if Chadwick falls, the entire memory of the Piñera legacy falls; if Chadwick falls, Sebastián Piñera Echeñique falls.»
In this regard, the investigator questioned the behavior of the institutions responsible for prosecuting crimes in the country, pointing to a clear favoritism aimed at protecting the powerful. For him, the heart of the problem is tied to a specific academic institution that served as a refuge for former authorities such as Marcela Cubillos, ex-prosecutor Manuel Guerra, and former senator Felipe Harboe. Mery criticized the lack of independence of the chief prosecutor and sown deep doubts about the transparency of the criminal investigation by claiming that «the national prosecutor does not represent all of us; he represents Mr. Chadwick and the entire line that worked at Universidad San Sebastián.»
Continuing on this line, the journalist pointed out the salaries received by these figures at the academic institution, specifying Guerra, who reportedly earned 7 million pesos monthly for only half a day’s work, which would support the thesis that the university operated as a center for political operations and financing for the right.
Finally, host Javier Pineda noted that while the situation of Andrés Chadwick is complex and he remains a suspect in the Audio Case, the former minister has not yet been formally accused of any crime by the prosecutor’s office. For his part, Patricio Mery challenged members of the Republican Party to dare to present audit actions or constitutional accusations if these irregularities are confirmed.
We invite you to watch the full interview with Patricio Mery on Sentido Común!:
El Ciudadano.
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