Chilean justice ministry reduces sentences for sexual offenders

The Chilean Ministry of Justice granted prison sentence reductions to 56 men convicted of sexual crimes against minors. Details regarding 33 of these specific cases have emerged, showing that these men received an average reduction of 14.7 months from their original sentences.

The cases involve men convicted of sexual abuse and rape. Among the 33 known instances, 18 men face charges of sexual abuse, seven face charges of rape, and eight face both charges.

Original sentences for these individuals averaged 8.7 years, ranging from 541 days to over 22 years. The reductions granted to these men varied between three and 30 months. Several high-ranking officials signed the administrative decrees for these reductions. Minister Rabat signed 22 of the decrees, including the one for Luis Alberto Caamaño Mora, a former religious leader convicted of rape and sexual abuse.

Subsecretary of Justice Luis Silva signed 10 decrees, while Subsecretary of Human Rights Pablo Mira signed one decree due to a court ruling. The head of the Judicial Division, Patricio Cuevas, signed three more decrees while acting as a substitute. The list of beneficiaries includes high-profile figures such as Caamaño Mora, who received a 30-month reduction on his 22-year sentence. Another beneficiary, Gabriel Hernán Reyes Rebolledo, received a reduction despite a previous denial of a pardon based on his health.

A third beneficiary is a former military officer, José Luis Hernández Paredes, who was sentenced to 16 years for crimes against the children of military colleagues. The government has not yet released the full details for all 56 cases.