The Chamber of Deputies of Chile approved, this Wednesday 9th, the opening of an impeachment process against two judges of the Supreme Court, Angela Vivanco e Sergio Muñozaccused of corruption and leaking confidential information.
By 97 votes in favor, 25 against and 20 abstentions, the deputies approved the motion of censure presented by right-wing legislators, which will now be discussed in the Senate next Tuesday.
The two judges were temporarily suspended from their positions. If the impeachment is approved, both will be removed from the Judiciary and will be barred from holding public office for five years.
Judge Vivanco faces accusations for her ties to the controversial lawyer Luis Hermosilla, who has been in prison since August 27, accused of bribery and money laundering, and is the protagonist of a scandal that has shaken the Chilean political, judicial and economic elite for 10 months.
Hermosilla, one of the most famous criminalists in the country, was exposed after the release of an audio in which he urged people to bribe public officials to favor one of his clients.
After the audio was released, the police seized his phone and his private conversations came to light, including with Vivanco, who asked him for help in being appointed to the Supreme Court and gave him information about several cases.
According to the indictment, these communications “constitute a serious and serious violation of the principles of independence, impartiality, integrity and transparency that govern the Judiciary”.
In parallel, Vivanco faces another request for dismissal from the Supreme Court plenary.
In turn, Sergio Muñoz, considered close to the left, is accused of facts that are unrelated to the so-called “Hermosilla case”. In a decision questioned by the situation, the two cases were joined and a single vote was forced.
Muñoz is accused of benefiting his daughter, also a judge, by giving her privileged information in a real estate deal.
A third Supreme Court judge, Jean Pierre Matus, faces another lawsuit over his ties to Hermosilla.
The last time a Supreme Court judge was removed in Chile was in 2001.
