Friday, June 26, 2026.
Chile
Chile continues to navigate a series of developments that reflect the complex political, social, and institutional dynamics shaping the country today. This week’s headlines have been dominated by debates surrounding government accountability, public security, migration oversight, and historical justice, issues that continue to influence both the national conversation and the broader operating environment for businesses and investors.
Among the most significant developments are the initiation of a constitutional accusation against a former cabinet minister, ongoing discussions regarding reforms to juvenile criminal responsibility laws, and investigations into the whereabouts of migrant children whose cases have raised concerns about oversight within the immigration system. These developments come alongside judicial rulings related to crimes committed during the military dictatorship and renewed political debate over the use of inclusive language in official government communications.
At the same time, Chileans are closely following the progress of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, providing a welcome point of national interest amid an otherwise active and often contentious public agenda.
In this edition, we examine the key events shaping Chile’s current landscape and explore their potential implications for governance, public policy, institutional stability, and the overall business environment.
Brett Mikkelson
Fundador, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama
Assistance from Chilean and Mexican Experts Following the Earthquake in Venezuela: Key Factors in Rescue Operations
Venezuela suffered one of the most devastating earthquakes in its history last night. Thousands of people were trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Assistance from rescue specialists from Mexico and Chile will be critical to ongoing rescue operations.
Although Chile has not maintained diplomatic relations with Venezuela since 2024, Chilean President José Antonio Kast has already confirmed that his government will send humanitarian aid and deploy highly trained rescue teams experienced in complex disaster-response environments.
The devastating event, consisting of two consecutive earthquakes, has left more than 200 people dead, although the death toll could rise into the thousands, according to estimates by the United States Geological Survey, due to the extensive damage inflicted on buildings and infrastructure.
The powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused dozens of buildings to collapse, triggered widespread power outages, and generated panic among residents, particularly in the heavily affected La Guaira region and the capital city of Caracas.
“I have just spoken by telephone with Venezuela’s Acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, to convey Chile’s solidarity during the difficult circumstances facing the Venezuelan people,” Kast said in a post on X.
“We are coordinating the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance and the deployment of rescue teams to respond to the earthquake emergency,” he added.
Approximately 700,000 Venezuelans reside in Chile, making them the largest migrant community in the country.
Mexico Ready to Assist
For its part, the Mexican government confirmed the deployment of a military rescue team and medical personnel to Venezuela, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced.
Mexican rescue teams are internationally recognized for their expertise in collapsed-structure search and rescue operations. Sheinbaum stated that, following an initial assessment, authorities would determine whether additional personnel would be required to provide further assistance.
“Our solidarity is with the people of Venezuela,” Sheinbaum said during her morning press conference, where she also indicated that she would seek to communicate directly with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
Sheinbaum explained that Venezuelan authorities have specifically requested Mexico’s support in the form of specialized rescue and medical personnel.
Members of Civil Protection are currently participating in debris-removal operations and the search for survivors among buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes in the municipality of Chacao, located in eastern Caracas, Venezuela.
The Mexican armed forces have spent five decades implementing disaster-response plans designed to assist civilian populations during emergencies. Mexico notably provided support to the United States when Hurricane Katia struck in 2017.
Mexico City itself has experienced several powerful earthquakes throughout its history. Following the devastating 1985 earthquake, civilian volunteer groups known as “Los Topos” emerged. Topos México informed AFP that it is currently evaluating the possibility of deploying personnel to Venezuela.
Chile’s PDI Locates 52 of 64 Haitian Children Reported as Missing: They Were With Their Families and Enrolled in School
The Director of Chile’s Investigations Police (PDI), Eduardo Cerna, reported on Monday that 52 of the 64 Haitian minors have been located. According to a preliminary report from the Comptroller General’s Office, these children entered Chile from Haiti on charter flights in 2025 through the family reunification process, but officials had been unable to find them during field visits conducted in different municipalities.
“They are all enrolled in school and registered in the healthcare system, and they are with their fathers, mothers, or siblings. They all have a direct connection with the adult they are living with,” Cerna stated.
A week ago, Radio Biobío published the Comptroller General’s preliminary report, which indicated that there was no record of the whereabouts of the children and adolescents. The case led to a criminal complaint filed by the Director of the National Migration Service under the government of José Antonio Kast, Frank Sauerbaum, over a possible child trafficking offense. The official initially stated that there were more than 200 cases in this situation. Eugenio Campos, Director of the National Prosecutor’s Anti-Corruption Unit, also agreed, stating that the number of affected minors would be “more than 200” and that the cases corresponded only to the period between January and April of last year.
However, last Friday, despite Sauerbaum’s criminal complaint, Kast’s own Defense Minister, Fernando Barros, firmly stated that “there is no evidence that these children are missing or lost.”
The Comptroller General’s document reviewed a random sample of children who entered Chile under the responsibility of 12 adults with whom they had no blood relationship. They traveled on private charter flights as part of the family reunification process, which required them to be received by their parents, relatives, or legally authorized individuals who met specific requirements. According to the oversight body, there were 64 minors whom officials did not find at their registered addresses during verification visits, but the PDI has now located most of them. Several mayors have also carried out similar efforts since last Friday.
Following public concern and the opening of an investigation initiated by the Prosecutor’s Office into alleged human trafficking, Kast summoned authorities from the three branches of government to La Moneda and launched a search operation for the minors through coordination among various state institutions. The effort was assigned to his Minister of Social Development and Family, Republican Party member María Jesús Wulf.
On Sunday, Wulf stated that “the State must respond in a coordinated manner, focused on protecting them and clarifying what happened during these years. That is what we are dedicated to.”
After the minors began being located, Kast’s Minister of the Interior and government spokesperson, Claudio Alvarado, was asked on Monday whether the administration had overreacted after the Comptroller’s report.
“When it comes to minors, children, there is never an overreaction. We all have an obligation to be concerned about their well-being and, in this case, to know where they are, who they are with, and, if necessary, to help and protect them,” he responded.
According to Alvarado, the government “simply” became aware, through a Comptroller’s report, of a serious and sensitive issue.
Chile: Kast Government’s Reconstruction Plan Advances in Congress
The initiative, also known as the “Miscellaneous Law,” includes more than 40 measures aimed at rebuilding homes affected by wildfires, revitalizing the economy, creating employment, and accelerating the well-known environmental permitting process.
With 26 votes in favor, 23 against, and one abstention —from Pedro Araya (PPD)— the Chilean Senate approved in general terms, on Wednesday, the second legislative stage of the National Reconstruction Plan, with which José Antonio Kast’s government hopes to secure its first major legislative victory.
It should be noted that the so-called “Miscellaneous Law” brings together more than 40 measures aimed at rebuilding 4,000 homes affected by wildfires and stimulating the economy through tax incentives, job creation, and the acceleration of environmental permits.
However, the initiative faces opposition resistance, with critics arguing that it benefits large companies through tax reductions while reducing funding for social spending, healthcare, and education.
The proposal will now return to the Finance Committee to continue its detailed review and will later be examined by the Labor and Environment Committees, where senators will be able to submit amendments and propose modifications before the bill returns to the Senate floor.
The government’s objective is to maintain the urgent legislative status in order to pass the initiative during the month of July. However, the Executive Branch is required to negotiate possible changes proposed by the opposition to secure final approval, as each provision under discussion must now obtain the necessary support to be enacted.
President Kast: “Everyone Is Watching What Chile Does”
In the afternoon, during his visit to the municipality of Lautaro, in the Araucanía Region, President José Antonio Kast celebrated the news but acknowledged that there is still work to be done.
“The law, as you know, has not yet been approved. It has already been approved by the Chamber of Deputies, moved to the Senate, discussed in the Finance Committee, and then brought before the Senate floor so that the legislative framework can be approved,” the president stated, according to BioBíoChile.
According to the president, “the article-by-article debate will now begin. There will be proposals and positions from lawmakers, which is reasonable, and we will evaluate how we can continue moving forward to guarantee Chile’s development and progress.”
Kast also emphasized the importance of approving the Reconstruction Plan proposed by his government, stating that “the whole world is watching what Chile does. Chile has been a global beacon and will once again become a leader in Latin America and worldwide if we do things correctly.”
At the conclusion, the president thanked “each of the ministers and deputy ministers who worked tirelessly to make this possible,” and expressed his appreciation to “the senators who allowed this initiative to begin being discussed article by article.”
OHLA Secures Its Eleventh Contract in the Santiago de Chile Metro and Reaches €550 Million in Projects Across the Network
OHLA Strengthens Its Commitment to Sustainable Mobility Development in Santiago, Chile, with the Awarding of a New Contract for the Development of the Capital’s Metro System
With this new award, valued at more than €70 million, the company increases the total number of projects it has developed within the Santiago metropolitan network to eleven. Including this latest contract, the Group has carried out projects worth more than €554 million, enabling the construction of 19 kilometers of tunnels and 18 stations, including the six stations that are part of the new project.
The aforementioned contract, with a budget exceeding €70 million, involves the construction of the six new stations corresponding to Groups 5 and 6 of Line 7, one of the most significant projects currently underway within the Santiago Metro network.
OHLA’s involvement in the Santiago Metro has taken place throughout the different phases of the network’s expansion, through contracts involving the construction of tunnels, stations, galleries, and associated technical facilities. Among the most notable projects are the civil works for Line 4, including Plaza Egaña Station and the interstation tunnels, as well as the expansion of Line 2, where the company carried out the construction of Dorsal Station and its corresponding tunnel section.
Likewise, the Group has developed projects on the so-called Maipú Line, including the construction of stations such as Gruta Lourdes, Blanqueado, and Lo Prado, along with their respective underground connections and auxiliary works. Similarly, its involvement in Line 3 has included the construction of shafts and galleries across various sections, as well as works associated with the line’s extension.
Within the scope of Line 6, OHLA has carried out civil works for workshops and train depots, critical infrastructure required to ensure the operation, maintenance, and management of the metropolitan railway system. More recently, the company has participated in the development of Line 7 through the construction of shafts, galleries, and tunnels in strategic sections.
OHLA has been present in Chile since 1984, having participated since then in some of the country’s most significant infrastructure projects. Currently, in addition to the aforementioned works on the Santiago Metro, the company is also executing, among other projects, the construction of the Lo Ruiz Tunnel, one of the most important road infrastructure projects currently underway in the Chilean capital.
Constitutional Impeachment Proceedings
Constitutional impeachment proceedings are the last resort available to the Chilean Congress to hold certain state authorities politically and constitutionally accountable. In Chilean tradition, this mechanism has never been intended to correct management errors or programmatic disagreements. For those matters, other instruments exist: interpellations, investigative committees, parliamentary oversight, and administrative accountability.
However, in recent times, lawmakers have resorted to this tool far too frequently, which has not only strained the relationship between the Legislative Branch and the other branches of government, but has also diminished its value and importance. Using it as a mechanism for revenge is not a good idea. It benefits no one: neither the person being accused nor those who, by bringing the accusation, will later find themselves on the opposing side’s blacklist.
This occurred with the proceedings against Yasna Provoste and Harald Beyer, two former Ministers of Education who were brought before Congress more for political and circumstantial reasons than for constitutional and substantive grounds. It nearly happened as well with former President Piñera, whom the left attempted to remove through this mechanism as a way of overthrowing him. In that case, the Communist Party (PC), the Broad Front (FA), and part of the democratic socialist sector resorted to this mechanism after failing to remove Piñera through the “factual route” (one only needs to recall the left-wing declaration of November 12, 2019).
Now it is the turn of former Finance Minister Nicolás Grau. I have many public disagreements with the economic management of Gabriel Boric’s government, which overestimated revenues, spent far beyond its means, and left the current administration with a deteriorated economy. However, taking him through this process seems unreasonable to me, and for several reasons.
First, because it distorts the true purpose of the mechanism: to reserve it for exceptional situations in which an authority has committed a particularly serious violation of their constitutional duties. Second, because it further polarizes an already deeply divided Congress. Third, because it shifts attention away from much more urgent matters. And fourth, because lawmakers tend to focus on the short term rather than the medium and long term, resulting in the continued erosion of public trust.
The Expert Commission of the second constitutional reform process warned about this problem and, among other things, proposed requiring a prior oversight stage before activating this mechanism against a minister. The logic was simple: if there is a less drastic mechanism to clarify the facts, that should be used first. Had this and other measures been approved, we would likely not be facing the Grau case, which, truthfully, lacks significant constitutional grounds. It is also highly likely that it will fail in the Senate and that, as has happened many times before, time and resources will have been wasted unnecessarily.
In recent days, some supporters of this initiative have launched true witch hunts against center-right lawmakers who decided not to support it, calling them cowards and disloyal. One must ask: isn’t it precisely courageous for someone, based on rational and convincing arguments, to distance themselves from the demands of their own group, especially in a matter as sensitive as this?
Even more so: considering that between 2016 and 2025 nearly thirty of these proceedings were filed and only four succeeded, isn’t it time for our legislators to finally understand that this is an extremely exceptional mechanism, and that treating it as an ordinary tool not only empties it of meaning but ultimately weakens Congress itself?
