Wednesday, August 5th 2026 - 21:37 UTC
Kast wrote that Crespo had been cleared of all charges and that it was confirmed he acted in self-defense, a reading of the ruling that is the president's own
Sixty Chilean deputies asked President José Antonio Kast on Wednesday to grant individual pardons to members of the Carabineros police force and the armed forces convicted over acts linked to their duties during the protests that began on October 18, 2019.
The letter is signed by lawmakers from the Republican Party, founded by the president, and from the Independent Democratic Union, National Renewal and Evópoli, along with the National Libertarian Party and the Party of the People. The request does not identify specific cases. It argues that Chile faced one of the most complex crises in its recent history and that thousands of personnel were deployed to protect citizens, maintain public order and defend critical infrastructure. “This request does not seek to disregard the importance of human rights or the individual responsibility that the courts are to determine,” the text adds.
In July, Republican deputies had identified twelve priority cases, eight former police officers and four former soldiers. The National Libertarian Party is also promoting a general pardon bill that would extend to civilians.
