Chile's Human Rights Undersecretary Pablo Mira dismissed three officials from the Human Rights Program and appointed lawyer Constanza Garrido to lead it and the National Search Plan. Garrido has prior experience at the National Institute of Human Rights and in preventing sexual abuse cases. The National Search Plan will continue under the new leadership.
Chile's Justice Ministry Human Rights Undersecretary Pablo Mira (RN) is assembling his direct team. On Tuesday, he notified the dismissal of three officials from the Human Rights Program, which executes the National Search Plan (PNB): Paulina Zamorano, the program's head with 14 years in the ministry; Magdalena Garcés, coordinator of the search and trajectories area; and Tamara Lagos, archive coordinator. A subsecretary statement explained they were exclusive trust appointees of the previous administration and did not resign on March 10.
Constanza Garrido, appointed to lead the program and PNB, is currently filling in as legal advisory lawyer at the Centro Norte Regional Prosecutor's Office. She previously advised the Church on sexual abuse cases as part of the National Council for the Prevention of Abuses and Victim Support of the Chilean Episcopal Conference. Garrido worked at the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH) twice: in 2019 as collaborating lawyer for nearly two years, and in 2024 as specialist in the Rights Protection Unit.
Garrido holds a master's in criminology from the University of Cambridge and a diploma in human rights from Universidad Alberto Hurtado. Her appointment is expected to be officialized Wednesday by Mira.
Minister Fernando Rabat confirmed the PNB's continuation weeks ago, a stance echoed by Mira on social media and before the Chamber of Deputies Human Rights Commission.
