Three Carabineros officers, the Chilean Military Police, were victims of an ambush and subsequently murdered in Cañete, in the province of Arauco. President Gabriel Boric decreed national mourning throughout the country. At the same time, the opposition demanded "a radical change in the way of confronting crime," in addition to the resignation of the Minister of Security.
The authorities are reconstructing part of the events and, in turn, searching for those responsible for the attack that also took place on the 97th anniversary of the Carabineros.
What happened in Chile?
The terrorist attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday when authorities received three calls reporting a criminal act, which led a patrol of three officers to go to the scene. However, when the car arrived at the alleged crime scene, it was greeted by a gunfight.
According to preliminary information, the shots were fired with 45-caliber shotguns. The officers exited the vehicle and attempted to respond but were quickly outnumbered and killed by the criminals.
Con dolor, lamentamos informar a la comunidad y nuestra familia sobre el horrible asesinato de tres de nuestros carabineros; el Sargento 1º Carlos Cisterna Navarro (QEPD), Cabo 1º Sergio Arévalo Lobos (QEPD) y el Cabo 1º Misael Vidal Cid (QEPD), quienes realizaban patrullajes… pic.twitter.com/gliim0e0tU
— Carabineros de Chile (@Carabdechile) April 27, 2024
Not content with this, they proceeded to strip them of their weapons and pile the bodies in the car, then douse them with gasoline and set them on fire.
The victims were First Corporal Sergio Antonio Arévalo Lobo (34), First Corporal Misael Magdiel Vidal Cid (30) and First Sergeant Carlos José Cisterna Navarro (43). The three belonged to the night service of the 4th COP Police Station (Public Order Control) Los Álamos.
"With pain, we regret to inform the community and our family about the horrible murder of three of our police officers," they expressed from the security forces' official X account. They also pointed out that their men were "cowardly murdered."
Los carabineros ya no pueden patrullar en vehículos comunes y corriente en la macro zona sur. Lo deben hacer en forma mandatoria en vehículos militares blindados. La camioneta emboscada tiene impactos de munición de guerra de grueso calibre. Fueron a la carnicería. #YAAC💚 pic.twitter.com/nWaHphM7DH
— Pedro David Hernández Farías (@pdhernandezf) April 27, 2024
"To their families, to our institutional family, friends and co-workers, our deepest condolences. On this significant date, once again we sadly mourn for those who give their lives for others; for order, security and the homeland," they added.
Due to the area in which the attack occurred, the first investigations point towards radical indigenous groups that operate there, such as the Mapuche Lavkenche Resistance (RML) and also the Coordiadora Arauco Malleco (CAM). However, no one has claimed responsibility.
President Boric's response
The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, spoke hours after the attack on his X account, where he promised to find those responsible and also confirmed three days of mourning in the country.
Esta madrugada recibimos la grave y dolorosa noticia de un atentado en la provincia de Arauco en el que fueron asesinados tres carabineros. Luego de una reunión de emergencia con las ministras Carolina Tohá, Maya Fernández, los subsecretarios Manuel Monsalve y Ricardo Montero, y… pic.twitter.com/Z4jL6wjOG2
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) April 27, 2024
"This morning we received the serious and painful news of an attack in the province of Arauco in which three police officers were murdered. After an emergency meeting with ministers Carolina Tohá, Maya Fernández, undersecretaries Manuel Monsalve and Ricardo Montero, and the presidential delegate of Biobío, Daniela Dresdner, we coordinate immediate actions to respond to this cowardly attack. I assure Chileans that there will be no impunity and that we will find the whereabouts of the perpetrators of this terrible crime. Finally, I have decided to declare national mourning for three days throughout the country. Know, Carabineros de Chile, that you are not alone," he wrote.
"The time has come to end goodism and strongly attack terrorism"
On the other hand, the opposition called for more decisive actions and rhetoric against crime. One of the first to speak out was José Antonio Kast, leader of the Republican Party and presidential candidate in 2021.
"Three Carabineros murdered in Arauco. The time has come to end goodism and strongly attack terrorism. State of siege, closure and strengthening of borders and dismissal of the urgent security cabinet. President Boric, the time has come to wake up," he said on X.
Tres Carabineros asesinados en Arauco. Llegó la hora de terminar con el buenismo y atacar con fuerza el terrorismo. Estado de sitio, cierre y fortalecimiento de fronteras y destitución del gabinete de seguridad urgente. Presidente Boric llegó el
momento de despertar. pic.twitter.com/wrSrHwm8Ug— José Antonio Kast Rist 👍🇨🇱 (@joseantoniokast) April 27, 2024
In turn, the Republican Party published a statement demanding the resignation of the Minister of Security, Carolina Tohá.
"The ideology that supports this government and the hatred that those who govern us today installed, are directly responsible for the persecution and harassment of Carabineros. The time has come for them to take concrete and decisive actions to reverse the serious impact of their irresponsibility," they added.
Comunicado del Partido Republicano por el asesinato de tres Carabineros en Cañete. pic.twitter.com/KFsRPMJwb6
— Partido Republicano 🇨🇱 (@PRChile) April 27, 2024
Another dissident voice to speak out was Evelyn Matthei, mayor of Providencia, who stated that the attack must "mark a turning point in Chile."
“Not only do we have to fight drug traffickers, organized crime and terrorists with much more force and resources, but we also have to start thinking as a society about what we are going to do with those officials who are weakening the fight against it,” she stated. .
Un acto terrorista enluta un nuevo aniversario de @Carabdechile.
Tres muertes crueles a funcionarios, víctimas de una emboscada y un atentado incendiario.
Es ésta una tragedia absoluta para nuestro país y debe ser un punto de inflexión rotundo en la acción contra el terrorismo… pic.twitter.com/pXHZwDq5i2
— Evelyn Matthei (@evelynmatthei) April 27, 2024
