Yáñez is being accused of “failing to enforce unlawful coercion resulting in serious injury and homicide” when he headed the Order and Security department of the militarized body.

During the popular protests, from October 2019 to March 2020, the police indiscriminately used shotguns loaded with highly damaging ammunition, which caused 30 deaths and thousands of injuries, including more than 400 cases of eye trauma.

For the advisor of the National Institute of Human Rights, Yerko Ljubetic, Yáñez was at that time in charge of the Management of Order and Security and had a specific link with all the officers who commanded the Carabineros on the ground.

“Although the police are responsible for maintaining public order, their methods must be framed within full respect for human rights, and that clearly did not happen during the times of the revolt, and therefore, institutional responsibilities must be pursued,” he said to Radio Futuro, and considered that Yáñez had “the duty to prevent what happened, and he did not do so.”

Complaints indicate that on October 28th, 10 days after the start of the protests, the effects that the anti-riot shotguns were causing were already known, and their use was not suspended.

Karina Fernández, a lawyer defending numerous victims, criticized the obstructionist attitude of the head of the Carabineros, who filed several appeals in order to postpone the trial, initially scheduled for May 7th.

After suffering several setbacks, Yáñez was forced to resign as police chief last Friday.

The accusation also extends to the former director of Carabineros Mario Rozas and the former deputy director Diego Olate, both of whom are retired generals.

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