A federal judge in Australia ruled on Monday that Adriana Rivas, a 72-year-old former Chilean secret police agent, must be extradited to her home country to face charges of aggravated kidnapping. The decision marks the end of a lengthy legal battle for the woman, who has lived in Sydney’s Bondi suburb working as a nanny and cleaner since 1978.
Chilean authorities initiated the extradition request 12 years ago, alleging Rivas participated in the forced disappearance of seven people during the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Rivas has consistently denied any involvement in the crimes.
A legacy of the Dina
Prosecutors allege that Rivas served as an active agent for the National Intelligence Directorate (Dina), the secret police force established by Pinochet after his 1973 coup. Documents provided by the Chilean government state that Rivas participated in the detention of victims while serving as a guard and in other operational roles.
Between 1973 and 1976, Rivas acted as personal secretary to Manuel Contreras, the infamous chief of the Dina. Rights activists have long accused her of being a key member of the elite Lautaro Brigade, a unit tasked with dismantling the leadership of the underground Communist Party.
Chilean prosecutors specifically link her to the 1976 disappearance of Víctor Díaz, then secretary-general of the Communist Party, and six other party members. Among the group was 29-year-old Reinalda del Carmen Pereira Plaza, who was pregnant at the time of her abduction. All seven are presumed killed in detention.
In a 2013 interview with the Australian broadcaster SBS, Rivas described her tenure with the Dina as "the best of my life." When questioned about the systemic use of torture by the agency, she defended the practice by stating, "they had to break the people – it has happened all over the world, not only in Chile."
Witnesses interviewed for a documentary by Rivas' niece, Lissette Orozco, described her as one of the agency’s most brutal figures. Rivas has denied these characterizations and any personal role in torture.
Following Monday's ruling, a lawyer representing the victims' families stated that the relatives were "truly, truly delighted" by the outcome. While Australian media reports indicate that Rivas could attempt to appeal the decision to the full federal court, the legal grounds for such a move remain uncertain.
If the decision stands, Rivas will be returned to Chile to stand trial. Her case remains a flashpoint for the legacy of the Pinochet era, during which an estimated 40,000 people were politically persecuted and 3,000 were killed.
