El buque "Esmeralda", símbolo de la impunidad criminal en Chile

 The "Esmeralda" ship, a symbol of criminal impunity in Chile

1999 - Malta

El crimen de los cadetes / The cadets' crime

"En Septiembre, Gran Circo Gran" por Sergio Ramírez (extracto)
http://boozers.fortunecity.com/laurel/66/sept/990921_chile.html


En esos días [Septiembre de 1999] estalló el escándalo de la Esmeralda. Delictual incidente que involucró a varios marineros en la agresión a puñaladas a un ciudadano, en un prostíbulo de la isla de Malta. Los culpables son hijos de jefes de la Armada. La Esmeralda, otrora centro de tortura, está convertida en guarida de matones. Los maleantes huyeron, perseguidos por la Interpol. El gobierno [de Chile] fue su protector y encubridor.


RCCI.net: Las noticias de agosto 99
http://www.rcci.net/globalizacion/llega/fg095.htm

CHILE: El gobierno de la Concertación a través de su canciller avisa que anda en busca de un "prestigioso médico inglés para que atienda la salud" del exdictador, e instala una inusitada "mesa de diálogo sobre derechos humanos", que al parecer busca establecer la impunidad de los militares comprometidos en graves crímenes, como es el caso de los miembros de la macabra "caravana de la muerte", que realizó una gira a fines de 1973 por todos los campos de concentración, ejecutando prisioneros a destajo. La Agrupación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos mostró su inconformidad. El Ministro de Defensa, Pérez Yoma, conocido por sus buenas relaciones con los militares, expresó que la reunión de marras "ha devuelto a Chile la esperanza de que todo es posible".Durante el golpe, también se demostró en ese país "que todo es posible". Otra de las preocupaciones de ese gobierno ha sido salir a encubrir a los marinos de la Esmeralda (buque escuela) enredados en el [intento de] asesinato del guardián de una cantina en la Isla de Malta. Luego de producido el hecho, el barco se dio a la fuga.

N.B. Hasta donde sabemos, el crimen permanece en la impunidad


The Malta Independent, Issue No. 373
Sunday 15 August 1999


'Esmeralda', a rape, a handbag theft, drug trafficking and Yu Mei Zhang

By Michael Carabott

This week's news has obviously been dominated by the legal matter of whether the Chilean cadet accused of stabbing a bouncer should be handed over to Maltese authorities or not. The cadet was on board the Chilean naval training vessel, the Esmeralda.
The case involves the stabbing of Joseph Spiteri, a 29-year-old Valletta bouncer who works at Footloose. Spiteri was stabbed during the early hours of 3 August when he tried to break up a brawl which broke out in Paceville as bouncers from the Empire night club tried to escort around 30 Chilean cadets out of the club.
The Chileans were obviously not to happy about this and fists started flying, escalating into an all out brawl. The numbers were not exactly even, 30 Chilean naval cadets against five bouncers. Spiteri, who was off-duty at the time saw exactly what was happening and rushed into the fray, trying to even the odds a bit.
Maltese police immediately got onto the case and Police Inspectors Martin Bayliss and John Sacco from the CID asked permission from the ship's captain Luis Claven Matzen to allow them to conduct investigations.
Captain Matzen agreed and the inspectors took individual statements and mugshots of the 350 strong crew. Unsurprisingly, the investigation took more than 12 hours and went on into the early hours of the next morning.
The police did not come up empty handed. They had eyewitness reports and forensic evidence showing that 21-year-old Hernan Antonio Sepulveda Mery could have been responsible for the attack. So the police did their job and solved the crime within 24 hours.
Now the problems started. A military vessel enjoys immunity in any port it visits and the Esmeralda is considered an extension of Chile. Basically, nobody can detain, issue orders or force it to do anything. So Malta very prudently asked the Chilean Commander to turn over Mery and four other suspects (names unknown) to the police.
Captain Matzen was not exactly enthusiastic about the idea, so he called upon the Chilean Ambassador to Italy for help. Mr Alvaro Brijoness held diplomatic talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Lawrence Gonzi and Home Affairs Minister, Dr Tonio Borg. Lengthy discussions were held. In fact they lasted over a week, but at the end of it all, the suspects were not turned over.
It could be interesting to point out that one of the cadets on board was Capt. Matzen's son, while another was the son of an Admiral. In fact the Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister, Mariano Fernandez, said that if the Maltese authorities found there was enough evidence to arraign the cadets, they would have Chile's full co-operation.
They said they would not simply hand the cadets over, but they would co-operate if Malta used the extradition procedure. Dr Gonzi explained what an extradition treaty actually is; it involves amassing enough evidence to ask for a person to be removed from their country and made to face judicial proceedings against the injured country on their own soil. The treaty was inherited from the British and has been in existence for over 100 years.
Although the police clearly believe they have enough evidence to prosecute, the Esmeralda simply left port. Of course she had every right to do so, but wouldn't it have been much easier to hand over the cadets instead of dragging both countries through the messy procedure? Touché Pinochet.
I asked Dr Gonzi if Malta was prepared to go through with the procedure and he said, "We were very disappointed that the Chileans didn't hand over the suspects, but when the inquiry is over and if there is enough evidence, we will push for extradition."
Let's hope Malta makes a stand over the matter and the person who stabbed a father and husband who acted beyond the call of duty is brought to justice.
(...) That wraps up the weekly legal issues, and one hopes the government carries on with its brave stand in order for justice to be done in view of Mr Spiteri, the courageous bouncer who got stabbed for trying to help his colleagues control a group of rowdy cadets. It is ironical that the crew of the Esmeralda is supposed to be the creme de la creme of the Chilean Navy, the most disciplined future officers of the military body.

http://www.archive.independent.com.mt/379/10.html


The Malta Independent, Issue No. 379


Sunday 26 September 1999

Chilean press links political pressure over Esmeralda case

By Karl Schembri and Enzo Rossi

With Miriam Hayman's Magisterial Inquiry on the attempted murder of Joseph Spiteri by Chilean cadets from the Esmeralda still unconcluded, the Chilean press is quoting sources from Malta who are maintaining that the magistrate's procrastination could be linked to diplomatic pressures.
The Chilean daily newspaper, La Tercera, reported yesterday that sources from Malta are maintaining that, "the delay could well be attributed to diplomatic pressures." The report claimed the magistrate is being put under pressure, directly or indirectly, by the fact that she will have to face Chilean authorities if the warrant of arrest is issued. The report also mentioned the fact that police sources expressed their disappointment and frustration at the fact that the suspects will be evading justice today.
On the other hand, sources told The Malta Independent on Sunday that the Italian government was hoping that the inquiry would not be ready on time for the warrant of arrest to be issued so as not to enter into a diplomatic controversy.
"At present the Italian government is on good terms with both the Italian and the Maltese government. It prefers to keep the status quo, rather than being forced to arrest the suspects and trigger a diplomatic quarrel with the Chilean government," the source said.
Today the four cadets implicated in the attempted murder of Joseph Spiteri will be disembarking for the first time from the Esmeralda in Civitavecchia to attend for an audience with Pope John Paul II at Castelgandolfo.
Hernán Sepúlveda Mery, Edward Gibbons Fell, John Martin Gajardo and Cristián Delgado Ramírez, are the suspected cadets wanted by the Malta police for the attempted murder of Spiteri in Paceville on 3 August. The cadets are on board the Esmeralda in Italy enjoying diplomatic immunity, but the Malta police were confident they would arrest the four cadets on their way to Castelgandolfo this morning. But without the completed Magisterial Inquiry, the police could not issue an international warrant of arrest and Interpol could not intervene today.
Today was believed to prove to be most important opportunity for Maltese authorities as they would have relied on the cooperation of Italian police for the arresting of the suspects. As things stand however, the police will be unable to arrest them and a warrant of arrest will be issued only upon completion of Miriam Hayman's inquiry. Police sources said there is a possibility that the inquiry will be filed tomorrow to the Attorney General's office.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice yesterday said that the magisterial inquiry also binds the extradition procedure.
"Until the inquiry is completed we cannot ask for extradition," the spokesman said. It is only with the inquiry documents in our hands that we can base our request for extradition of the suspects."
When asked to comment about the missed opportunity to arrest the suspects because of the unfinished inquiry, the Minister for Home Affairs Tonio Borg said everyone can reach his own conclusions. He said he will not interfere with justice.
Meanwhile the Italian Member of Parliament Giovanni Russo Spena, of Rifondazione Comunista, in a parliamentary question asked what was the Italian government intending to do about the suspect cadets involved in the Malta incident. He also asked what was the reason for Admiral Jorge Arancibia's visit to Italy.
Rifondazione Comunista will hold an anti-fascist protest at the port in Civitavecchia close to the Esmeralda, upon which a gala party will be held for national and institutional representatives.
"The communists invite all the democratic organisations of Civitavecchia to refrain from attending for the party, to reject disdainfully the invitation," Simona Ricotti of Rifondazione said.
The Esmeralda was used as a floating prison during Pinochet's coup d'etat against Salvador Allende in 1973. Communists were kept on board the ship and tortured.
The Movimento per Civitavecchia Per l'Ulivo asked the mayor and the local administration of Civitavecchia to make an express declaration in favour of the Chilean people and to condemn the party on board the vessel.

http://www.archive.independent.com.mt/373/9.html

N.B. To our knowledge, the crime remains unpunished.

The Malta Business Weekly

Issue No. 251, 12 - 18 August 1999

Esmeralda leaves Grand Harbour

by Michael Carabott

The Chilean navy vessel Esmeralda yesterday left the Grand Harbour with all her crew on board despite attempts by Maltese authorities to obtain the hand-over of a sea cadet suspected of stabbing a Maltese man. The Esmeralda weighed anchor and cleared the Valletta breakwater at 11.43am and left Maltese territorial waters at 1:03pm.

The vessel has left the islands with sea cadet Hernan Antonio Sepulveda Mery, 21, who is the prime suspect in the attempted murder of Joseph Spiteri, 29, a bouncer, during the early hours of 3 August. Spiteri was stabbed three times when he tried to stop a fight that broke out after thirty Chilean cadets were escorted out of the Empire nightclub.

The Esmeralda arrived in Malta on Thursday 29 July and was due to leave last Thursday. The vessel's next port of call was due to be Haifa in Israel, but this is now uncertain. Chilean naval sources have described the alleged incident as the worst

scandal to hit the Chilean navy. Officially, however, the Chilean navy has said that it believes that there is not enough evidence for the suspect to be charged.

http://www.business-line.com/business-weekly/archives/251/06.html

CiskExport

The Esmeralda odyssey

Karl Schembri

In the early hours of 4 August 1999, Joseph Spiteri, known as il-Brodu, was stabbed by Chilean cadets in Paceville.

Mr Spiteri, a security man, was off-duty that night but ended up in a brawl when he went to help a colleague of his who was being attacked by a crowd of Chilean sailors.

The police started their investigations immediately but the suspect cadets went back on board the Chilean navy vessel, the Esmeralda, which was berthed in Grand Harbour. On board the vessel the cadets enjoyed diplomatic immunity ,owing to the fact that it was a warship. The vessel actually left Grand Harbour on 11 August with the suspect cadets on board.

The police requested Interpol's help to issue a warrant of arrest for four suspects, one of whom - Edward Gibbons Fell - The Malta Independent had learnt, was the son of the navy general secretary. The other suspects are John Martin Gajardo, Cristián Delgado Ramírez and prime suspect Hernán Antonio Sepúlveda Mery.

The Maltese authorities finally issued an international warrant of arrest for two of the four suspect cadets, three months after the crime was committed. The magisterial inquiry, conducted by Miriam Hayman, concluded that Sepulveda Mery and Delgado Ramirez were the suspects who needed to be investigated further by the Malta police, and therefore an international warrant of arrest could be issued against them.

Interpol, however, did not manage to arrest the two suspect cadets because they never disembarked from the vessel during their voyage back to Chile. On 26 November the Esmeralda left Argentina. The two cadets were regarded by Maltese authorities as fugitives of justice because they failed to turn up for arraignment in court in Malta earlier that month on the charges of attempted murder of Mr Spiteri.

On 6 December the Esmeralda arrived in Chile, bringing to an end the odyssey of the alleged criminals, but also shattering all hope of arresting the suspects outside Chilean territory. The warrant of arrest was no longer valid once the cadets touched Chilean ground and the Maltese authorities could only resort to extradition procedures to get them back to Malta for trial.

Sources say these procedures have not even started yet, as documents related to the case, which need to be handed over to the Chilean authorities, are still being translated from Maltese to Spanish by the local authorities. The Esmeralda was used as a floating prison during the coup d'etat against Salvador Allende's government in 1973. It was used by the navy under Pinochet's regime in 1973 and 1974 to imprison political prisoners and women, most of whom were communists or declared socialists. La Repubblica called it 'The Ship of Torture'.

http://www.archive.independent.com.mt/2000/0804/n25.htm

IL FATTO

Il lager Esmeralda

Vittorio Bonanni

Liberazione 25 settembre 1999

La testimonianza dell'ex sindaco di Valparaiso: «La nave che oggi è in Italia servì nel '73 ai golpisti cileni per torturarci»

Sergio Buscovich è stato sindaco di Valparaiso durante gli anni del governo di Unidad Popular e del presidente Salvador Allende. Dopo il colpo di stato di Pinochet si è rifugiato in Italia per undici anni dove ha insegnato all'Università di Bologna storia e filosofia. Allora era iscritto al partito comunista cileno, e, come tanti altri, venne arrestato e torturato dentro la Esmeralda, la nave della marina militare cilena giunta questi giorni nel porto di Civitavecchia. Lo abbiamo raggiunto telefonicamente per chiedergli una testimonianza di quella terribile esperienza.

Dopo il colpo di stato dei militari la Esmeralda divenne un vero e proprio campo di concentramento. Esattamente. Personalmente sono stato tenuto all'interno dell'Esmeralda dall'11 settembre del '73, giorno del golpe militare, fino al 19 quando ci hanno portato nel campo di concentramento di un'isola situata nell'estremo sud del paese, nei pressi dello stretto di Magellano. Nella Esmeralda sono stato torturato e con me tante altre persone, uomini, donne e anziani. Per esempio ti posso citare il deputato socialista Andrès Sepulveda, consiglieri comunali di Valparaiso e di Viña del mar come Maximiliano Marcos e Ariel Tachi, l'ex sovrintendente della dogana del Cile Leopoldo Fulgevic, l'avvocato Luis Vega e decine e decine di altre persone. Si tratta di una realtà assolutamente indiscutibile anche se fortunatamente nessuno uscì morto dalla nave.

La Esmeralda è stata utilizzata per tutti gli anni della dittatura come campo di concentramento?

No, soltanto i primi giorni dopo il golpe. Successivamente la nave doveva viaggiare e solo per questo motivo non è stata più utilizzata come campo di concentramento.

Con il ritorno della democrazia in Cile questa nave ha cominciato a viaggiare per il mondo. Perché molti paesi l'hanno accolta senza batter ciglio?

È stata accolta per bene in quei paesi dove la storia della nave era praticamente sconosciuta. Proprio l'avvocato Luis Vega, che ti ho citato prima, due anni dopo il colpo di stato è fuggito in Israele, dove vive tuttora. Lì ha raccontato la storia della Esmeralda e quando la nave è arrivata ad Haifa venne organizzata una grossa manifestazione di protesta. Che puoi dire al governo italiano che ha accettato questa nave...

Che, come minimo, nessun rappresentante del governo italiano deve andare a bordo di una nave che è stato campo di concentramento di Pinochet, dove la gente è stata torturata.

Da parte sua il governo cileno non ha informato i paesi che si accingevano ad ospitare la Esmeralda.

No. Il problema è che l'esercito cileno è ancora molto potente ed è per questo motivo che Pinochet è stato arrestato all'estero, mancando qui i presupposti per poterlo giudicare correttamente (lunedì la magistratura inglese aprirà il procedimento definitivo sulla richiesta di estradizione avanzata dalle autorità spagnole ndr). Però la situazione in Cile sta cambiando moltissimo. Già da 4-5 anni è in prigione il capo della polizia politica e il successore adesso deve essere sottoposto a giudizio. Inoltre ci sono quaranta o cinquanta tra generali e colonnelli che sono sotto inchiesta. I tempi della giustizia potranno essere probabilmente accelerati in occasione delle elezioni presidenziali del prossimo 12 dicembre, quando si presenterà il candidato del centro-sinistra, il socialista Ricardo Lagos. La sua vittoria, dopo due presidenti democristiani, potrebbe portare ad un cambiamento della situazione.

A Malta ferirono un uomo. Ora sono a Civitavecchia

Assassini mancati quattro cadetti del battello cileno

I misfatti della nave cilena Esmeralda non si fermano ai primi anni del colpo di stato del generale Augusto Pinochet. Lo scorso agosto, durante i suoi viaggi in giro per il mondo, la nave approdava a Malta. Esattamente il giorno 3, quattro cadetti che fanno parte dell'equipaggio attentarono alla vita del maltese Joseph Spiteri, confermando la "nobile" tradizione del battello. Gli assassini mancati sono Edward Gibbons Fell, John Martin Gajardo, Cristiàn Delgado Ramirez e Hernàn Sepùlveda. Nei loro confronti la magistratura maltese ha chiesto l'estradizione dal Cile ma non ha ancora fatto i passi necessari per rendere operativo quel mandato di cattura internazionale che renderebbe possibile il loro arresto, per esempio in Italia, dove la nave si trova questi giorni, esattamente al porto di Civitavecchia. Ma i giudici maltesi stanno subendo pressioni politiche di vario genere, suscitando le proteste della stessa polizia dell'isola, che non può agire in nessuno modo. Forse lunedì questo mandato di cattura potrebbe essere spiccato ma l'occasione giusta per arrestare i quattro è domenica quando l'equipaggio della Esmeralda si recherà a Castelgandolfo per rendere omaggio al Papa. Ma, come nel caso dei peggiori criminali cileni, i quattro sono ovviamente protetti. Non a caso Gibbons Fell è il figlio di un ammiraglio, segretario generale della nave, mentre Sepùlveda è figlio del capitano della nave.

Intanto a Civitavecchia la mobilitazione cresce contro la scomoda presenza del battello. Ieri doveva tenersi un concerto al porto ma le pressioni di Rifondazione comunista (che ha presentato un'interrogazione parlamentare) e di altri esponenti della maggioranza sono riusciti a bloccare l'iniziativa per "motivi di ordine pubblico". La nuova sfida è prevista per lunedì prossimo. La sera ci sarà un ricevimento, contro il quale è stata annunciata una manifestazione. Non si sa ancora se questa iniziativa verrà autorizzata dalla questura né se le autorità cittadine accetteranno o meno l'invito. Sarebbe come festeggiare dentro il campo di concentramento di Auschwitz. Insomma uno schiaffo alla tradizione democratica e antifascista della città, del nostro paese e dei cileni democratici.

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/8506/archivio99/sett250999cE.html

Santiago Times, August 13, 1999

MALTESE COURT SEEKS ARREST OF CHILEAN SAILORS

Maltese authorities Thursday issued an international arrest warrant against four Chilean crew members from the naval training vessel the Esmeralda, which set sail from the Mediterranean island Wednesday after five Chilean sailors were implicated in a street-fight brawl which saw nightclub bouncer Joseph Spiteri suffer multiple stab wounds.

The news was confirmed Thursday by the Foreign Ministry, where studies are already underway into the possible implications of the warrant. Judicial experts note the Chileans can only be arrested by international police if they leave the ship, which qualifies as Chilean sovereign territory under international law.

http://ssdc.ucsd.edu/news/chip/h99/chip.19990813.html

Revista Qué Pasa, Chile

Futuro en suspenso

Como consecuencia del episodio ocurrido en Malta, las carreras de al menos cinco guardiamarinas del Esmeralda, de su capitán y de su superior jerárquico directo podrían quedar truncadas.

Por una vez en la vida, algunos capitanes de navío tienen el honor de transformarse por un año en el comandante del Buque Escuela Esmeralda. Pero por esas cosas del destino, la mala suerte acompañó durante gran parte de la travesía a su actual comandante, el capitán de navío Luis Clavel Metzen. Este no sólo debió soportar alguno que otro temporal durante el viaje, que termina en diciembre, cuando el buque recale en Valparaíso, sino que también debió asumir la emergencia de al menos cuatro guardiamarinas con apendicitis, el devastador terremoto en Turquía pocos días antes de llegar a ese país y la ya conocida trifulca en el puerto de La Valleta, que terminó con el ciudadano maltés Joseph Spiteri en un hospital, tras haber recibido heridas cortopunzantes.

Casi un viaje maldito el de este 44º crucero, que lleva a bordo 340 tripulantes, entre ellos, 93 guardiamarinas y 71 grumetes. Incluso, para algunos, es probable que el escándalo en Malta termine por convertirse en una pesadilla que podría afectar la carrera de algunos oficiales de la Armada.

Capitán de navío con una inmejorable hoja de servicio, el comandante Clavel sería uno de los afectados por los sucesos del puerto de La Valleta. El oficial es primo del brigadier de Ejército Luis Clavel y pariente cercano de otro general de esa institución. Con anterioridad, se había desempeñado en la agregaduría naval en Colombia y en Quiriquina, al mando de la instrucción de los jóvenes marinos.

Pese a que al capitán del Esmeralda no se le critica su desempeño en los sucesos de Malta -pues en la Armada reconocen que es una trifulca menor en un bar, donde nada podía hacer-, en el interior de esa institución hay quienes sostienen que cometió un error estratégico en su posterior colaboración con la investigación de la policía de Malta. En efecto, el capitán habría entregado el único medio de prueba -las fotografías de los tripulantes chilenos- que permitió que, posteriormente, se dictara orden de detención internacional contra tres guardiamarinas y un grumete. [¡Con la justicia no se colabora, es el lema de la Armada de Chile!]

No está claro si Clavel permitió que la policía local les tomara fotografías a todos los tripulantes -como lo indica un medio de comunicación maltés- o mostró las que existen en el barco. En todo caso, después de los sucesos en el bar, ese 3 de agosto, el capitán, por orden de su superior, el comandante de la Primera Zona Naval, contraalmirante Alex Waghorn, entregó toda su colaboración a las investigaciones. Tanto así, que el comisionado John Rizzo, del departamento de investigaciones criminales de la policía de Malta, dijo que personalmente había interrogado a algunos sospechosos en el buque chileno.

A través de las fotografías, Spiteri pudo reconocer como sus "agresores" a los guardiamarinas Hernán Sepúlveda, John Martin, Edward Gibbons y al grumete Cristián Delgado. El "error" de mostrar o permitir tomar esas fotografías -critican en Chile- quedó en evidencia porque, según las investigaciones internas, era imposible que reconocieran a personas que estaban en un bar oscuro pasada la medianoche y que luego se pusieron a pelear en una calle igualmente oscura. Tanto así, que en la Armada aseguran que ni el guardiamarina Edwards ni el grumete Delgado se encontraban en el lugar de los hechos. El primero conversaba en otra parte con unos holandeses y el segundo estaba en el barco.

A Clavel le quedan dos años aún para ascender a almirante, pero es posible que, debido a este hecho, no pueda cumplir la aspiración de todo oficial. Su superior jerárquico directo, el contraalmirante Alex Waghorn, podría correr la misma suerte, al igual que al menos cuatro o cinco guardiamarinas, que fueron los responsables directos de los desórdenes en el bar. Si el tema no hubiese tenido trascendencia en la prensa, probablemente, los jóvenes sólo hubiesen recibido una sanción administrativa, pero debido al impacto internacional, su futuro al interior de la institución es una interrogante.

http://www.quepasa.cl/revista/1480/21.html

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