Matías Letelier, former Health Seremi of Coquimbo, was formalized on Saturday by the La Serena Prosecutor’s Office after being detained on Friday for impersonating a carabinero and conducting vehicle checks.
The accused was spotted on Friday around 4:00 p.m. on Avenida del Mar with Cuatro Esquinas in La Serena. Neighbors alerted Carabineros about a person conducting vehicle checks alone while wearing a uniform similar to that of the police.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged him with usurpation of police functions, use of police uniform, carrying an adaptable firearm and receiving a license plate. The court ordered preventive detention due to flight risk and set bail at two million pesos.
Prosecutor Juan Pablo Aguilera Ponce stated that Letelier “was surprised by Carabineros officers wearing a uniform that at first glance belongs to police officers”. An adaptable blank-firing weapon and a license plate reported stolen since 2023 were found in the vehicle.
The investigation period was set at 120 days. If he pays the bail, Letelier will be subject to weekly reporting and a national travel ban.
