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Original article: 12 mil páginas arrinconan a Chadwick: nuevos chats destapan gestiones de Hermosilla ante Guerra por causas del piñerismo

The Arica Public Prosecutor’s Office has introduced over 12,000 pages of conversations that corner Andrés Chadwick, revealing the collusion between the former Interior Minister and attorney Luis Hermosilla to influence judicial investigations threatening Sebastián Piñera’s government.

The chats extracted from Hermosilla’s phone show a direct connection to former prosecutor Manuel Guerra, who allegedly leaked confidential information while soliciting work in exchange for facilitating favorable outcomes for Piñera’s associates.

According to Reportea, the most sensitive communications occurred via Telegram—an app known for its enhanced privacy—where messages deemed «most compromising» have yet to be analyzed, opening new avenues that could significantly broaden the investigation’s scope.

Network to Monitor and Influence Piñera’s Legal Proceedings

The web of favors and leaks now coming to light positions Chadwick at the center of a network operating to monitor and potentially dismiss cases that posed challenges for his cousin, the then-President.

The conversations illustrate how Hermosilla served as an intermediary between prosecutor Guerra and the Interior Minister, transmitting confidential information and coordinating strategies to secure dismissals benefiting executives close to Piñera. One case involves Santiago Valdés, Piñera’s former electoral administrator and executive, who was under investigation for fraudulent invoices that allegedly financed his presidential campaign unlawfully between 2009 and 2010.

One of the message exchanges occurred in April 2018, when Hermosilla reached out to Chadwick questioning whether he needed to intervene in a failed negotiation between the prosecution and Valdés’ defense.

«Should I do something regarding this news with MG (Manuel Guerra)?» the lawyer asked, to which the then-minister responded, «Well… how much?» Hermosilla immediately answered, «I spoke. He will send me a number», confirming that their communication was active for resolving the issue.

The newly acquired messages reveal Hermosilla and Guerra maintained regular communication via Telegram, a platform the lawyer used for his highest-trust contacts. On April 23, 2018, Hermosilla forwarded to Chadwick messages from the prosecutor: «Lucho, when you can, let our friend know that the main concern now is our friend Santiago Valdés…(This seems complex).» The identity of «our friend» is clear, reflecting the urgency to resolve Valdés’ legal situation. One day later, after the deal fell through, Hermosilla insisted and was instructed that paying the full amount of the invoices would be the most logical solution, following the same scheme that had worked with Senator Iván Moreira.

On the same day Guerra decided against appealing the Supreme Court’s dismissal of Valdés, he asked Hermosilla for a job in a message. Upon the deadline for appeal passing, he wrote: “It’s good to be getting out of the messes.”

In October 2018, coordination intensified as Chadwick, during a formal hearing, consistently updated Hermosilla on developments in the courtroom. «Lucho… this is happening… any news?» the minister wrote, indicating his need for firsthand information to influence the proceedings. He eventually communicated, «It went well with SV (Santiago Valdés)… apparently from the judge», confirming that the judge had blocked Valdés’ no-reformulation.

The investigation has also unveiled contradictory statements that deepen suspicions about Chadwick’s role. While the former minister claimed he couldn’t recall meetings with Guerra beyond an institutional visit to the Eastern Prosecutor’s Office, Guerra himself acknowledged having had «five or six» meetings that included Chadwick.

Hermosilla concurred, stating the joint meetings were «very few times, I believe no more than five,» a statement that suspiciously aligns with Guerra’s version, despite both providing separate testimonies. The testimony of Carlos Lavín, owner of Penta, adds further pressure, revealing two meetings with Chadwick to discuss the case, one of which included Hermosilla, as reported by the investigative medium.

Breakfast with Luksic

The conversations also uncover attempts to control the Internal Revenue Service (SII), pivotal in halting investigations into illegal financing. In the records, Hermosilla warns Chadwick about the Minister of Finance’s «risky path» and the danger of the SII regaining autonomy to file complaints.

The coordination was not limited to judicial matters. A breakfast with Andrónico Luksic, arranged by Hermosilla in April 2018, a month and a half after Chadwick took charge of the Ministry of the Interior and which does not appear in Chadwick’s public meeting records, illustrates the extent of this network.

«I have a message from (Cristián) Bofill: an invitation to dine with AL», Hermosilla wrote, referring to a meeting that was not registered and remained in the shadows.

Sensitive Conversations via Telegram

The recurring mention of Telegram in the chats—13 times— has become a critical point in the investigation as Hermosilla used this app for his most sensitive communications which have yet to be analyzed, and it was these messages he then forwarded to Chadwick to keep him informed.

Prosecutor Mario Carrera admitted three months ago that the name of the former Secretary of State «repeats itself, appears, but we never have any direct action from him», a situation that these new findings could clarify.

La entrada New Chats Expose Coordination Between Chadwick and Hermosilla in Piñera’s Legal Battles se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.