Security Minister Trinidad Steinert denied allegations of personal misconduct and professional interference during a hearing before the Senate Security Committee on Wednesday. The minister addressed ongoing rumors regarding the recent exit of Consuelo Peña, the former sub-director of intelligence for the Investigative Police (PDI).
Peña, who served for 36 years, was forced into retirement in a move that sparked speculation among lawmakers. Critics suggested that Steinert pushed for the dismissal due to a past professional dispute dating back to the minister’s time as a regional prosecutor in Tarapacá.
During her tenure as a prosecutor, Steinert reportedly clashed with Peña after the police chief dismantled a local unit and transferred sub-prefect Mauricio Fuentes to Santiago. Rumors subsequently circulated that the friction was linked to a personal relationship between the minister and Fuentes.
Steinert rejected these claims during the committee session, describing the rumors as "vexing" and an attempt to create a "parallel history."
"As a mother, it is complex to receive these expressions that attempt to create a parallel history that has not existed," Steinert said. "This includes that parallel history from a, let’s say, romantic point of view, which has never been the case."
Government security strategy
Beyond the controversy surrounding the PDI, Steinert used the appearance to outline the government's broader public security roadmap. She identified organized crime, criminal analysis, and police strengthening as the primary pillars of the administration's agenda.
Steinert reiterated that the decision to retire Peña was an institutional matter handled by PDI Director Eduardo Cerna. Cerna previously testified before Congress on Monday, confirming that the move was an internal administrative decision, though he did not detail his private communications with the minister regarding the case.
Senator Juan Luis Castro pressed the minister on whether she had intervened in the personnel change. He noted that the ongoing uncertainty regarding the PDI leadership has created tension between the police force and the Ministry of Security.
"Any interference from me, there was none," Steinert responded. She asserted that since the theory of her direct involvement failed to gain traction, critics pivoted to spreading rumors of a conspiracy.
To combat organized crime, the minister detailed a plan focusing on the reclamation of territory currently controlled by criminal groups. She cited the recent recovery of occupied lands in Cerro Chuño, Arica, as a model for future operations. Furthermore, the government aims to increase police deployments to execute outstanding arrest warrants and implement procedural reforms, such as allowing oral trials to proceed without the physical presence of the accused to prevent judicial delays.
