(CNN Spanish) — The Chilean National Prosecutor’s Office reported that it will assign a special team to investigate the homicides in Santiago de Chile, and that all prosecutors dealing with these crimes will request that those foreigners who are detained remain in preventive detention until their identities can be established.
The announcement was made this Thursday by the national prosecutor Ángel Valencia, who also expressed the need to advance “clearer and more precise” rules regarding the identification of undocumented foreigners. “We have a serious problem that hinders investigations,” he said.
Valencia made the statements during a press conference amid the commotion caused to the country this week by the death of a member of the Carabineros, First Corporal Daniel Palma Yáñez, after being shot while carrying out a vehicle control procedure.
Earlier, the Prosecutor’s Office requested the collaboration of the community to find two individuals “of interest”, presumably of Venezuelan nationality, in relation to the death of Palma, a case that adds to two other agents who died in similar circumstances in less 30 days, including a woman.
Regarding the announcement of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Minister of Justice, Luis Cordero, declared that his portfolio will have a cooperation mechanism with the Civil Registry, although he warned that the number of inmates in prisons has been increasing steadily in the last year. especially in pretrial detention.
President Gabriel Boric announced an investment of US$1.5 billion a year to strengthen police activity and investigative action.
Daniel Palma Yáñez was a police officer who was assassinated this week. (Credit: @Carabdechile)
According to the Chilean system, each person at birth or obtaining a residence in the country receives a so-called Unique National Role (RUN). When a police officer detains a person after allegedly committing a crime, if they do not carry their identity card or any official document, they will ask for their RUN or passport number.
The police have an integrated system where they can see their papers and documents with that number.
With the approach announced by the national prosecutor Valencia, if the person turns out to be a foreigner, without documents and does not appear in the system, the Prosecutor’s Office will request preventive detention until their identity can be established.