The Seventh Guarantee Court in Santiago began the formalization of Gonzalo Migueles, Mario Vargas, and Eduardo Lagos for bribery, money laundering, and influence peddling in the Belarus plot. Prosecutor Carmen Gloria Wittwer detailed million-dollar payments to former Supreme Court Minister Ángela Vivanco in exchange for favorable rulings for Belaz Movitec against Codelco. The Public Ministry requested preventive detention for the defendants.
The formalization hearing began on Friday at 9:30 a.m. in the Seventh Guarantee Court of Santiago. Los Lagos Regional Prosecutor Carmen Gloria Wittwer stated that since 2022, Vivanco and Migueles had a friendship with lawyers Vargas and Lagos, who represented the Belaz Movitec consortium in a judicial dispute with Codelco. Vivanco, as a Supreme Court minister, intervened in resolutions favorable to Belaz Movitec, breaching her duties by not declaring ineligibility, forcing Codelco to pay $17,176,977,760.
Wittwer revealed three payments: US$15,600 on July 4, 2023, delivered directly to Vivanco at Vargas and Lagos's offices after an appeal ruling; US$14,000 on December 18, 2023, to Migueles; and $45 million later, totaling over $69 million. These funds came from fees paid by Belaz Movitec to the lawyers, who directed them to Vivanco and Migueles.
During the presentation, the prosecution played an audio of a call between Sergio Yáber and Claudio Barrena, where Yáber states: “this guy passed a few sticks of dollars to Ángela, for the Belaz Movitec consortium issue.” Yáber adds: “I mean, we all know those two guys were bribers.” They also discussed the opening of Vivanco and Migueles's bank secrecy and transactions with notaries like Yamil Najle.
The defenses of Vargas and Lagos challenged Codelco's intervention as a victim, arguing no complaint has been filed. Codelco representative Julián López defended their right to be heard, noting a loss of nearly 20 million dollars. The court allowed Codelco's intervention as a victim. The Public Ministry seeks preventive detention for the three defendants, citing the severity of the crimes.
