Judicial Impartiality in Araucanía? Prosecutor Linked to «Hurricane» and «Hermosilla» Cases Leads Pursuit Against Mapuche Authority

Original article: ¿Imparcialidad judicial en la Araucanía? Fiscal señalado en casos “Huracán” y “Hermosilla”, lidera persecución contra autoridad mapuche Prosecutor Vásquez: The Persecutor of Lonko Ñirripil, Linked to the Hermosilla Case and the Antimapuche «Hurricane» Operation Prosecutor Enrique Vásquez, currently pursuing the mapuche Lonko Guillermo Ñirripil Cheuquepan— a traditional authority supported by 21 communities in La Araucanía— has been implicated in two high-profile cases without providing formal explanations. According to information from media and parliamentary sources, Vásquez is mentioned in both the controversial «Hurricane Operation» and in the contact agenda of lawyer Luis Hermosilla, who faces corruption charges.

Despite the serious nature of these allegations, neither he nor his superiors have commented publicly. In the context of the Hurricane Operation, a report by the Special Investigative Commission of the Chamber of Deputies (March 15, 2018) stated verbatim: “Mr. SMITH responds that the prosecutors were present continuously […] On the day of the arrests, prosecutors Vásquez and Cornejo were directing what was reflected in the preliminary report that caused the arrests”.

Additionally, during the high-profile trial, media reported the statements of General (ret. ) Gonzalo Blu: “Prosecutors Enrique Vásquez and Carlos Cornejo authorized this maneuver” (irregular evidence transfer). Subsequently, the TOP of Temuco convicted five former officers and one civilian for forgery and obstruction of justice.

Meanwhile, on the 7th of November, 2024, Radio Biobío reported that Juan Pablo Hermosilla—the defense for his brother Luis—revealed a list of prosecutors and judges who were contacted via WhatsApp. Among them is “Prosecutor Enrique Vásquez (discussions about judicial cases)”. This same list was shared by 24 Horas.

To date, Vásquez has not clarified what specific cases he discussed with Hermosilla, who faces charges of money laundering, bribery, and tax offenses, with a potential 14-year prison sentence by March 2026. Pursuit of Lonko Ñirripil: A Double Threat Pattern Prosecutor Vásquez currently leads the prosecution against the Lonko Guillermo Ñirripil Cheuquepan, who is serving a sentence of 5 years and one day (RIT 508-2023) and faces a new trial set for July 1, 2026 (RIT 133-2025) for robbery with intimidation and extortion. Mapuche communities allege that this is a selective criminal prosecution: “The Chilean state is not merely executing a sentence but also preparing the ground for a new one, ignoring the nature of the original facts,” warn 21 communities in the territory between Lautaro and Padre Las Casas.

Convicted, Imprisoned, and on Trial Again: Claims of Judicial Persecution Against Lonko Guillermo Ñirripil Cheuquepan They add that in the first trial “the manager of the owner was not called to testify, who accompanied the lonko to the bank to collect the check,” which undermines the intimidation thesis. Despite the gravity of the allegations against him in the Hurricane and Hermosilla cases, Prosecutor Vásquez took up his position in January 2026 as a prosecutor in the Supraterritorial Prosecutor’s Office, responsible for combating organized crime, without any statement from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.