Weekly Report - 15 February 2018 (WR-18-06)

“This is weakening the state’s capacity to combat crime, drug trafficking, organised crime, and terrorism,” president-elect Sebastián Piñera said this week in reference to the current spat between Chile’s militarised police (Carabineros) and the attorney general’s office (Fiscalía) over the ‘Operación Huracán’ case. The impact of the dispute over alleged tampering of criminal evidence by the Carabineros is such that Piñera has mooted promoting a major reform of the police body once he assumes office on 11 March. In the meantime, the concern is that the case will continue inflaming the Mapuche conflict.