With his popularity at a minimum, rising robbery and street violence is the last open front for Gabriel Boric’s government.

(Santiago, Chile) Murdered police officers, the feeling of insecurity at its boiling point and several bloody events that seem to be part of everyday life. Chile is experiencing one of its most complex times in terms of crime and the government of Gabriel Boric in search of formulas to contain the crisis. After the assassination of three police officers in 23 days, the executive had to anticipate the establishment of a security plan focused on controlling the crime wave.

Called “street without violence“, the new strategy envisages intervention in 46 municipalities in Chile where the greatest violent crimes are concentrated and seeks to increase efficiency in aspects such as criminal prosecution, police patrols, control and control of weapons and the search for fugitives from justice.

“The first element we want to guarantee is the lawsuits effective. If there is a violent crime in these communes, it will be prosecuted and the person responsible will be found and punished. For this reason, work is underway with the Public Ministry, the Carabinieri and a team from the investigative police,” explained the Undersecretary for the Interior, Manuel Monsalve.

The Chilean authorities have also clarified that the plan will also include a increase of the presence of riflemen in high conflict areas to reduce the perception of insecurity and impunity. “The areas and times where the likelihood of occurrence of homicides, shootings, death threats and drugs will be the highest will be prioritized,” they said.

The third axis, moreover, will address the problem of offenses and incivilities and will aim for better control in terms of weapons, and reduce neighborhood decay, drug trafficking and problematic alcohol use. “So that there is an effective patrol in these places and that all those who have a valid arrest warrant are persecuted, in order to locate and detain them,” they said of the government.

Three police officers have been murdered in recent months
Three police officers have been murdered in recent months

And although it was initially announced that there would be 30 areas attached to the strategy, pressure from mayors and regional authorities has widened the scope of the design, which will also include formulas for disrupting criminal organizations, reducing their firepower and economic power. In this sense, the government spokesperson, Camila Vallejoinformed that after the implementation of the plan in 22 municipalities of the metropolitan area in April, the rest of the localities will be integrated in May.

“We have been preparing this since January and we had to bring it forward and anticipate it regarding the unfortunate case of the murder of the carabinero Daniel Palmabut we always try to work as soon as possible,” Vallejo said.

“We have other plans, we have the one that concerns the recovery of neighborhoods, for example that of Barrio Meiggs or Plaza Maipú. There is the ‘Less weapons, more security’ plan, which has made it possible to destroy illegal firearms, over 17,000 so far in our administration, and they are talking to mayors,” the minister added.

In the midst of the announcements, in the last few hours, several police events have been recorded which have aroused the concern of the population. In the municipality of Maipú this morning a human head was found inside an abandoned bag in a public dump near an apartment complex, while in the south of Santiago a 19-year-old was shot dead on a public road on Sunday afternoon.

A study by pollster Cadem on the perception of Chileans towards insecurity revealed that 91% believe that crime is more violent than a year ago and 60% believe that the main reason for the increase of crime is due to immigration and the entry of criminals from abroad.

Continue reading:

Escalation of violence in Chile: three other police officers are killed and the quarrels grow between politicians
Chile: Carabinieri approval rises to 79%, the highest in the last decade

Categorized in: