CHILE IS ROCKED BY SEX, SPY SCANDALS.
For the past month, Chile has been gripped by a pedophilia scandal in which several members of Congress have been implicated. As the investigation of the accusations was still unfolding, a spying incident by Chilean intelligence agents in an Argentine consulate brought the ouster of several Chilean military officers and threatened the good relations between the neighbors.
The scandal regarding the alleged participation of three senators in a pedophilia ring has damaged the reputation of Chile's political leaders. The initial reactions by political leaders and government officials ran more toward closing ranks around the accused, attacking journalists, and complaining of a smear campaign than to concern for finding out the truth behind the allegations.
President Ricardo Lagos warned against making "wild, irresponsible" accusations, while Interior Minister Jose Miguel Insulza said emphatically that the government fights pedophilia, but defends the honor of individuals. "Let the judges take care of the matter, and let the accused parties defend themselves," Insulza said.
Meanwhile, suspicions were growing that powerful interests were protecting some of those involved.
Health club owner allegedly ran pedophilia ring
In December 2002, Claudio Spiniak, a well-connected and wealthy businessman and owner of an up-scale health club, was arrested on firearms and drug charges. At the time, authorities seized some 300 videos that belonged to Spiniak. The videos were in court custody but never screened, and Spiniak was released after high-level Carabinero police officials declined to formalize charges against him.
Spiniak was arrested again in September, after a teenage boy told police that minors in Santiago were offered money to have sex at parties hosted by the businessman. Only after the second arrest did anyone screen the videos, which contained graphic sexual scenes involving young victims. The judge who had custody of the videos was removed from the case and reprimanded for negligence.
Judicial sources said in late October that at least 57 people were under investigation by special prosecutor Judge Daniel Calvo in connection with the alleged ring run by Spiniak. He was charged on Oct. 6 with rape and producing pornographic material. So far, he has not been charged with pedophilia, which in Chile means sex with someone under 12.
Scandal spreads to Congress
On Oct. 10, Renovacion Nacional (RN) Deputy Maria Pia Guzman said on television that two...
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