The Valparaíso Court of Appeals has launched a formal investigation into guarantee judge Verónica Rivera following the filing of two complaints alleging abuse and sexual harassment against court employees.
As a precautionary measure, the magistrate has been suspended from in-person duties. Rivera is currently conducting hearings remotely via Zoom.
Security crisis in local schools
This judicial case unfolds amid high tension in the Valparaíso Region, where the Regional Prosecutor's Office has received 47 reports of anonymous threats regarding potential school shootings.
Prosecutor Roberto Depaux detailed that between April 8 and 9 alone, at least 16 reports were filed warning of potential attacks in the municipalities of Quillota, Villa Alemana, Los Andes, and Quilpié.
The threats, which primarily consist of messages written in school bathrooms, have led to the suspension of classes at at least six educational institutions in the area.
Regional Presidential Delegate Manuel Millones announced that local authorities have agreed to link school security cameras to the Carabineros (national police) network to bolster surveillance.
Meanwhile, the administration of President José Antonio Kast has introduced two bills to Congress aimed at increasing school security. The "Protected Schools" initiative proposes backpack and bag checks, while another seeks to toughen criminal penalties for crimes committed on school grounds.
The Investigative Police (PDI) has urged the public to report any threats, warning that such incidents trigger widespread public alarm and activate complex police protocols.