President Gabriel Boric surprised by announcing a constitutional reform transferring Gendarmería's security functions to the Ministry of Public Security, in response to Operation Apocalipsis that detained 44 gendarmes for prison corruption. The measure separates inmate custody from social reintegration, which will go to a new body under Justice. Authorities emphasize it aims to fight organized crime and clean the institution.
Operation Apocalipsis, developed since 2022 by the Prosecutor's Office and PDI, ended with the detention of 66 people, including 44 Gendarmería officials, in seven regions: Metropolitana, O’Higgins, Maule, Biobío, Araucanía, Ñuble, and Los Ríos. The operation, involving over 500 personnel, dismantled a network facilitating prohibited items like drugs, weapons, and cell phones into facilities such as Santiago 1 and the Women's Penitentiary Center in San Joaquín, through bribes exceeding $6.3 million.
Regional prosecutor Marcos Pastén detailed that gendarmes colluded with civilians, known as “manilleros,” charged between $10,000 and $400,000 per item, per a tariff including $10,000 for an avocado, $15,000 for a phone chip, or $400,000 for a cell phone. Methods like “la feria” enabled internal sales of meat, liquor, and substances, while “rescate” and “delivery” facilitated transfers and ordered deliveries. Additionally, irregular migrants entered for extra payments, and officials used relatives as fronts to launder money, seizing 183 bank accounts, 11 vehicles, weapons, and drugs.
In response, President Boric, less than three months from leaving office, announced the constitutional reform on December 17, 2025. “With this reform, Gendarmería will become a public security institution dependent on the Ministry of Public Security. Reintegration competencies will be housed in the Ministry of Justice, in a new institution,” he explained. The idea, previously proposed by Minister Luis Cordero, was driven by the operation's findings, discussed with president-elect José Antonio Kast for cross-party support.
Minister Cordero emphasized: “This reform is not only a way to restructure and reorganize Gendarmería, it is also a way to clean Gendarmería of bad elements.” The new Gendarmería will be “obedient, hierarchical, and non-deliberative,” like Carabineros and PDI, without unions. Former Justice Minister Hernán Larraín praised it: “The prison crisis hit rock bottom a while ago... We proposed separating Gendarmería's functions.” Deputy Rubén Oyarzo celebrated it but deemed it late.
The detainees' formalization is scheduled for December 19 in Santiago's 12th Guarantee Court, for crimes like bribery and embezzlement. A Comptroller's report revealed vulnerabilities: 1,279 unauthorized visits and only 12% of prisons with signal inhibitors, highlighting organized crime penetration.
