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Original article: Libro «Impunidad Diplomática» y Vladivideos en Perú: los dos casos que más impacto han tenido mediáticamente en la familia Luksic

In a recent episode of Sentido Común, Javier Pineda, director of El Ciudadano, engaged in a conversation with journalist Sergio Jara about his latest book «The Luksics», which aims to uncover the history of the Luksic family, a key player in Chilean society over the past 50 years.

The discussion delved into secret meetings with Vladimiro Montesinos and the alleged payment of US$2 million hidden in wine boxes to facilitate the Lucchetti factory project in Lima, as well as the intense legal struggles to censor a book detailing the influential networks that defined the Chilean elite in the 1990s.

This conversation reconstructs two cases that crossed the borders of Chile and Peru, involving accusations of corruption, influence peddling, and pressure on the freedom of information, which Jara claims illustrate the powerful business group’s ability to safeguard its interests against investigations, complaints, and public scrutiny.

The US$2 Million Wine Box Conspiracy, Montesinos, and the Lucchetti Case’s Statute of Limitations.

During the segment, Jara discussed the so-called Lucchetti Case. It all began when the company sought to establish itself in Lima but faced staunch opposition from then-mayor Alberto Andrade, who rejected the idea of the plant operating in the region, citing the need to protect the wildlife refuge at Pantanos de Villa.

Notably, in the interview, Jara mentioned that he had access to the complete judicial file of the case, which includes official statements from Vladimiro Montesinos, who served as head of the National Intelligence Service, and his secretary.

Jara explained that the file notes that Andrónico Luksic Craig met with Montesinos to strategize how to «eliminate» Mayor Andrade from the equation and facilitate factory permits. Furthermore, he stated that, according to the Chilean holding’s account, Mayor Andrade was allegedly colluding with the Peruvian company Alicorp to hinder competition.

Additionally, Jara remarked that both Montesinos and his secretary testified in the case that the Chilean businessman personally delivered 2 million dollars hidden in wine boxes intended to finance the political campaign of Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of then-president Alberto Fujimori. It is important to note that Jara emphasized Luksic has consistently denied this allegation.

On the other hand, Jara indicated that besides the cash payment, the Chilean conglomerate provided logistical support to Keiko Fujimori after a disaster in Peru, supplying pots, kitchen utensils, and other materials to aid her campaign. Jara stressed that this was not humanitarian aid, but rather an investment aimed at securing their commercial interests. 

Ultimately, the journalist explained that the Peruvian prosecutor overseeing the criminal case for influence peddling stated he had everything ready to prosecute the Chilean businessman and that the crime was not yet time-barred. However, the defense successfully delayed the process, and the case eventually expired in Peru’s courts, leaving Luksic unpunished.

The Scandal of the Forbidden Book: Extortion, Orgies, and Judicial Censorship

Conversely, Jara also discussed the censorship case surrounding the book titled Diplomatic Impunity, authored by journalist Francisco Martorell in 1993, where the Luksic clan filed a protective order in Chilean courts to halt its circulation.

The journalist explained that the Chilean judiciary accepted the protective order, which resulted in the book being censored in the country and remaining formally prohibited to this day. However, Jara mentioned that despite the ban, the text became a distribution phenomenon: between 60,000 and 70,000 copies were sold in Argentina, with an additional 50,000 pirated copies in Chile.

Regarding the content of the work, Jara explained that it was written in the style of a nonfiction novel and provoked a strong reaction from the Luksic family due to the allegations contained within. These included descriptions of purported parties marked by drug use and sexual encounters involving patriarch Andrónico Luksic Abaroa; his sons, Andrónico Luksic Craig and Guillermo Luksic; historical advisor Gonzalo Menéndez; and then-political figure Carmen Ibáñez.

According to the journalist, the core of the scandal revolved around Óscar Espinoza Melo, who served as Argentina’s ambassador in Chile. The story centered on a series of alleged extortion letters sent by the diplomat to the Luksic family demanding payments. Although three decades later, it has not been possible to access the original documents, Jara noted that the closeness between Espinoza Melo and the business clan was acknowledged by the family’s former lawyer, Pablo Rodríguez.

Based on that testimony, the Luksics maintained a close relationship with the ambassador. They even allegedly provided him with an apartment facing Parque Forestal for accommodations in Santiago, a property that, according to the investigation, was identified as the site of meetings described in the book. Additionally, Espinoza Melo’s frequent presence in Hornitos, the exclusive family beach resort in the north of the country, added to this narrative, with Jara defining it as a secluded space where business leaders and political figures convened to establish influential connections.

The publication of the book abroad triggered a legal offensive. Francisco Martorell faced five criminal lawsuits filed by the Luksic family, leading him to spend some time in Argentina before returning to Chile to confront the courts. Ultimately, he received a suspended sentence with no actual prison time. For Jara, the outcome left a persistent issue present in the Lucchetti case in Peru: the lack of a public response from the holding regarding the allegations impacting both episodes.

The «Luksic Mechanism»: Cross-Border Influence and Transnational Impunity 

Both scandals reveal the mechanisms employed by the largest economic group in Chile when its interests or reputation are threatened. Whether through the expiration of a criminal case for influence peddling and intelligence conspiracy in Peruvian courts, or via judicial resources used to stifle freedom of expression in Chile, the Luksic empire has adeptly navigated the most severe institutional crises while maintaining its financial dominance and bilateral political connections.

The launch of Sergio Jara’s book on July 8 not only reopens uncomfortable chapters that the business elite attempted to erase but also projects their repercussions into contemporary Chile. In an era where debates about integrity, political funding, and the role of large fortunes are at the forefront of public discourse, the story of the Luksic family stands as essential reading for understanding the operation of a factual power that has persistently influenced the country’s recent governments.

Below, you can watch the full interview with Sergio Jara on Sentido Común:

El Ciudadano.

La entrada The Impact of «Diplomatic Impunity» and Vladivideos: Examining the Luksic Family’s Controversies in Peru se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.