Catholic Church in Chile demands transparency in the face of corruption scandal

The Episcopal Conference of Chile was pronounced in the face of serious acts of corruption that have taken on special relevance recently in the country, with figures from the public and private sectors involved in money laundering crimes, bribery of public officials and tax fraud.

Known as “Audios Case” or “Hermosilla Case”—after the surname of the person who would be the main person involved, the criminal lawyer Luis Hermosilla—, the investigation has revealed a network of corruption and influence peddling that compromises high-ranking political and world figures. Chilean business.

The scandal was uncovered when audios came to light in which lawyer Hermosilla was allegedly discussing a plan to bribe officials of the Internal Revenue Service (SII) and manipulate the judicial system.

The scandal revealed a network of influences that would affect various sectors of the country’s economic and political power, generating a great stir. Among those involved are legal professionals, businessmen and public officials.

What happened has generated a climate of distrust in society and a strong demand for mechanisms that guarantee transparency.

Within the framework of the investigation, in recent days, the Supreme Court of Chile decided this Monday to temporarily suspend Judge Ángela Vivanco from her duties.

The word of the bishops of Chile in the face of the scandal

The bishops of Chile referred to the issue as “the widespread evil of corruption,” and in that framework they list the “influence peddling, fraud, misuse of privileged information, embezzlement of public funds and economic crimes” that have been known in recent years, and that “are a cause of deep concern for the vast majority of the country.”

Although the events involve people from different areas, “they are especially serious when they refer to public authorities and State agencies,” they warn, “which by their nature are at the service of the common good, especially vulnerable people.”

In that sense, they affirm that “the poor are the greatest harmed by these behaviors and this should be the reason for strong social condemnation” because it constitutes “an ethical crisis of proportions.”

For this reason, they demand “speed, objectivity and transparency” on the part of the bodies designated to judge what happened.

Secondly, they warned that these events “very seriously violate social justice,” and increase citizens’ distrust in institutions, causing “a discredit of political, social and economic life” and destroying the bonds of solidarity between people. , putting selfishness as “an essential rule of human action.”

In particular, the Episcopate warned about the impact of the Judiciary in acts of corruption, a power that is called “to resolve controversies.”