Almost two years after the reported events, the investigation against former Undersecretary Manuel Monsalve is closed

Two years after the allegations were initially made, the investigation against former subsecretary Manuel Monsalve has been closed. The case, which began with a complaint from a female official within the Ministry of the Interior, was officially concluded this week during a confidential hearing before the 7th Criminal Court of Santiago. The probe was initiated on October 14, 2024, by the Metropolitan Prosecutor’s Office Center North, following accusations of rape and sexual abuse. At the time, Monsalve served as a senior government official under President Gabriel Boric. The case gained attention due to its high-profile nature and the involvement of key political figures. On September 22, 2024, while President Boric was abroad at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Vice President Carolina Tohá acted as interim president, and Monsalve functioned as acting minister of the interior. On the morning of September 23, 2024, Monsalve was scheduled to deliver a security update during the 40th anniversary celebration of Chile's independence. However, his press team announced shortly before the event that he would not attend. That day, the complainant alleged she woke up naked in a room registered under her name at the Hotel Teatinos and Paseo Huérfanos, where she had stayed with Monsalve. She claimed the incident occurred during the night prior. In response, Monsalve resigned from his position, was formally charged, and spent time in preventive detention before being placed under house arrest pending trial. His legal team has consistently argued that the evidence does not support further action. During the recent court session, prosecutors stated that the court had set the hearing at the request of defense counsel, citing unresolved matters in the investigation. However, the court rejected the defense’s request, leading to the closure of the inquiry. According to prosecutor Francisco Jacir, the charges to be filed will likely mirror those previously submitted in December, seeking 14 years in prison for Monsalve over the alleged crimes of rape and sexual abuse. The investigation had been reopened in January, allowing prosecutors to incorporate new evidence gathered since then. They now have ten days to file a new indictment incorporating these findings. Jacir estimated that a resolution could come within approximately six months, considering the necessary preparation for trial and the trial itself. Maria Elena Santibáñez, the lawyer representing the complainant, expressed confidence that the process should move forward swiftly. She noted that the investigation has already spanned nearly two years, including one year and one month of initial proceedings followed by eight months of extended inquiry. She emphasized the importance of protecting her client’s well-being and health throughout the process. Víctor Providel, the public defender representing Monsalve, acknowledged that the closure of the investigation was a possibility they had considered. He mentioned that some requests for information, such as access to surveillance footage from the restaurant Ají Seco Místico, where Monsalve and the complainant were seen the evening before the alleged incident, were denied in early 2025. These requests, he said, were part of the defense’s efforts to gather additional evidence.