Carabineros Withdraw Academy Name-Change After Outcry
by Fernanda Gandara
20 August, 2020
Reading Time: 3 minutes
SANTIAGO — Yesterday, Aug. 19, a document was leaked stating that Chilean police had decided to name the Police Sciences Academy after Rodolfo Stange. When the Allende administration was overthrown, Stange was a high-ranking officer and a delegate of the military committee which carried out the coup d’etat. After receiving backlash from politicians and civilians, police officials announced today that they would retract their decision.
On Aug. 19, congressman Leonardo Soto shared a Chilean police cable that revealed director-general Mario Rozas had decided to name the Police Sciences Academy in honor of Rodolfo Stange. The document states that the decision is based on Stange being “an outstanding figure to the institution”, as he was a police colonel.
The decision triggered controversy both in political and civilian arenas, and was intensely discussed on social media. The outrage was over the role he played in the Pinochet-led dictatorship. Three decades after the military rule ended, the country is still recovering, and political and civil society are very much divided over the violation of human rights committed in the country from 1973 until 1990.
After an outpour of criticism, including politicians demanding director-general Rozas’ resignation, the Police Communications Department announced today that they would go back on that decision. In the statement, police officials said their decision to not name the academy after Stange was due to the “spirit that seeks to deepen our bond with citizens.”
More:
https://chiletoday.cl/site/carabineros-withdraw-academy-name-change-after-outcry/
Rodolfo Stange
