Chilean court convicts two former soldiers for migrant trafficking

The Oral Criminal Court of Iquique has convicted two former Chilean Army members for the illicit trafficking of migrants. The individuals, identified as O. E. L. P. and D. N. M. M., were found guilty of facilitating the irregular entry of a Venezuelan citizen through an unauthorized crossing in the Colchane area on the Chile-Bolivia border.

Evidence presented during the trial, including WhatsApp communications and phone records, demonstrated that the former soldiers coordinated the woman's movement and provided specific routes to bypass official checkpoints. The prosecution, supported by the State Defense Council and the National Institute of Human Rights, utilized testimonies from military and police personnel to establish the coordination. The sentencing is scheduled for August 17, 2026.