Chilean authorities arrest former prison official leader in corruption probe

Chilean authorities have launched ‘Operación Apocalipsis II’ to dismantle a corruption network operating within the country’s prison system. The investigation, led by Prosecutor Marcos Pastén of the Fiscalía Regional Metropolitana Occidente, resulted in the arrest of Álex Antonio Vega Torres, a former leader of the now-dissolved National Association of Penitentiary Officials (Anfup), and his spouse.

As part of the operation, the PDI’s Money Laundering Brigade (Brilac) conducted raids on 14 properties across the Metropolitan, Maule, Bío Bío, and Magallanes regions. Authorities also inspected lockers at several facilities, including the Santiago 1 Preventive Detention Center, the La Laguna de Talca Penitentiary Complex, the Bío Bío Penitentiary Complex, and the IP-CRC in Punta Arenas.

The investigation targets a structure allegedly facilitating the illegal entry of drugs, mobile phones, and other prohibited items in exchange for payments from inmates and visitors. Specific allegations against Vega Torres include involvement in bank movements totaling approximately $248 million and a separate investigation regarding the death of an inmate in 2018. This operation follows a previous phase in December that led to the formalization of over 40 prison guards.