In a significant development, Chile has taken legal action against individuals implicated in the theft of babies during the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet from 1973 to 1990. In a ruling, the Santiago Court of Appeals has begun investigating a civil suit filed by Constanza del Río in 2017. She called on the Chilean government to investigate the credible and systemic claims of child abduction. This recent judicial decision is a crucial turning point for countless families harmed by these historical wrongs.
Judge Alejandro Aguilar Brevis ruled that a chain of health care workers, Roman Catholic clergy, lawyers, social workers, and even a judge had colluded to snatch infants. The overwhelming majority of victims were poor single mothers. The scandal then turned to selling these newborns into adoption to foreign couples, typically for amounts reaching $50,000. Today, the project’s inquiry is zeroing in on San Fernando, a regional capital city in central Chile. It focuses on two individual examples of newborns who were allegedly given to foreign families.
As a result of the ongoing probe, five individuals have been charged, with arrest warrants issued for offenses including “criminal association, child abduction, and willful misconduct.” These alleged offenders are now to stay in pre-trial detention for as long as the investigation proceeds.
Constanza del Río is the founder of the non-governmental organization Nos Buscamos (We Are Looking for Each Other). She has been an indispensable force for justice and reuniting families separated by historical injustices. Her organization has created an extensive database with the nearly 9,000 known cases of stolen babies. They have worked to return more than 600 parents to their kids.
“This is no longer a myth. We know nowadays that this happened, and it was real. It’s not a tale that a couple of people were telling.” – Marcela Labraña
The systematic theft of babies during Pinochet’s regime remains a dark chapter in Chile’s history. Many infants were sold into adoption to couples from the United States and Europe, leaving behind a legacy of trauma for countless families. Chilean President Gabriel Boric, though elected on a progressive wave, found himself under intense pressure and backlash. In response, he immediately formed a task force to reexamine the cases of the stolen children.
After the task force’s final report, the federal government vowed to seek justice for the victims. The report uncovered the terrible magnitude and severity of the crimes that were committed during that time period. It pointed out that these actions fit the definition of “crimes against humanity.”
“These are crimes against humanity committed under a military regime and must be punished in accordance with the American Convention on Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.” – The judge
The Chilean government has filed an extradition request with Israel. They are hoping to help reinstate a former family court judge that allegedly took part in baby theft rings. This action further demonstrates a growing resolve to hold accountable those who took part in these heinous acts.
Even with these advances, del río said he was worried at the speed of justice. She noted that current processes can be “very slow and something that revictimizes the victims.” Her organization vigorously advocates for smarter, more effective approaches. They look forward to families impacted by these injustices getting long overdue answers and resolutions in a timely manner.
Chile is coming to terms with its history. These efforts to redress past injustices acknowledge the painful legacy of the theft of indigenous children in the period of military dictatorship. It is the determination of the continuing investigations that fuels this search for accountability. They are an important step toward healing for many families hoping to find closure.
