Former Deputy Mauricio Ojeda Rebolledo has filed a criminal complaint against La Araucanía’s regional prosecutor, Roberto Garrido, for the crime of influence peddling. The legal action was filed at the Public Prosecutor's Office, where the former lawmaker detailed the allegations against the prosecutor.
Ojeda, who is currently facing charges for embezzlement in the 'Manicure' branch of the 'Foundations Case,' claims that the prosecutor requested an urgent meeting at the La Araucanía Regional Government, bypassing lobbying regulations. According to the complaint, the meeting took place at the regional government's offices.
During the meeting, the regional prosecutor allegedly requested "nearly 200 million pesos from the Regional Government for a foundation," according to a statement released by the former lawmaker's institutional secretary. Ojeda is seeking an investigation into the destination of these funds and whether the prosecutor abused his position to make the request.
As part of the legal action, the former deputy has called on Garrido to voluntarily waive his bank secrecy. He also requested the seizure of the prosecutor's cell phones and electronic devices to help clarify the facts.
Charges Filed for Fraud within Regional Government
In a parallel development, the Public Prosecutor's Office has formalized an investigation into Marcelo Parra Muñoz, Chief of Staff for the La Araucanía Regional Government, for subsidy fraud. The investigation was launched following an anonymous tip received in 2023 regarding the Karukeché Foundation.
Prosecutor Luis Arroyo noted that the defendant allegedly applied for a municipal fund for a plastic recycling project, which secured just over 8 million pesos. However, evidence suggests that "the funds received were not used for their intended purpose, but were instead used for the defendant's personal use."
The court granted the prosecutor's request and issued a national travel ban for Parra Muñoz, setting a four-month period for the investigation. The State Defense Council has also filed a complaint against both the Chief of Staff and the foundation's treasurer, Luis Fuentes Lobos.