Former top Chilean official arrested on rape charges against President Boric

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A former top official of the Chilean government was arrested on suspicion of rape on Thursday, authorities said. The incident shocked the South American country and damaged domestic support for leftists President Gabriel Boric.

Manuel Monsalve, 59, who served as Chile’s deputy interior minister until last month and played a key role in the country’s fight against a rise in organized crime, is accused of raping a 32-year-old female employee in a hotel room after meeting her for dinner in September.

Monsalve has denied any wrongdoing. After prosecutors announced on October 17 that they had opened an investigation into the female official’s complaint, Boric sparked public outrage and put further pressure on Boric. 38-year-old former student protest leader of millennials The person who took office with the promise of establishing a “feminist government” in 2022.

For more than two and a half years, Monsalve, a doctor and former socialist activist, has been at the forefront of the government’s campaign against a recent gang-driven campaign. Crime wave shaking ChileIt has long been considered one of the safest and most stable countries in Latin America.

Police arrested Monsalve on Thursday at his home in the seaside resort of Viña del Mar and transported him by car to Santiago, the Chilean capital, 128 km (80 miles) away. He was handcuffed by detectives and taken to the police station to give a statement.

Mayor Boric, who testified as a witness in the case last week, responded to the arrest of his former senior official with a short post on the social media platform X that did not include Monsalve’s name.

“No one is above the law in Chile,” he wrote.

The rape scandal represents a blow for Boric, whose popularity is declining in polls and at the ballot box. where right-wing parties won Opposing the president’s left-wing coalition in last month’s regional elections, this is considered an important precursor to the 2025 presidential elections.

Boric’s government came under criticism for its handling of the case; The president waited two days after the allegations emerged to remove Monsalve from his post, and held a widely criticized press conference in which Monsalve revealed that he had previously requested to view the hotel’s security footage. The plaintiff even filed a complaint.

The prosecutor’s office also said that although Monsalve was still responsible for public security, he tried to use the police to secretly investigate the incident and reach the “inner circle” of the victim, who worked under Monsalve at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Monsalve’s lawyers denied these allegations.

Carolina Tohá, whose reputation has been damaged by accusations against Chile’s politically ambitious interior minister and second-in-command, has vowed that the ongoing investigation will “do justice”.

“Only in this way can we respond to victims, restore social trust and reaffirm the rule of law,” he said.