The conviction of General Juan Emilio Cheyre

El Mostrador, December 29, 2023

The irony of this situation lies in the fact that Cheyre was not only in the wrong place at the wrong time and is being condemned for entering and exiting a meeting room, but he was also the Commander-in-Chief who did the most to acknowledge the role and responsibilities of the Chilean Army.

The end of the year does not always bring good news for some, especially for retired General Juan Emilio Cheyre, also known as ‘Juan Soldier.’ The Supreme Court sentenced him to five years as an accomplice, with the benefit of supervised release, in the ‘Caravan of Death’ case, La Serena episode.

After the Supreme Court, as far as I know, there is nothing more to be done, and thus, General Cheyre becomes the first former Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army to be convicted, which in itself constitutes a matter of great significance in the republican history of our country. I am not in a position to challenge the rulings of the highest court and can only hope they have done their work with the diligence and care one expects from Justice in Chile.

The irony of this situation lies in the fact that Cheyre was not only in the wrong place at the wrong time and is being condemned for entering and exiting a meeting room, but he was also the Commander-in-Chief who did the most to acknowledge the role and responsibilities of the Chilean Army during the military government, and above all, to clearly state ‘Never again,’ which serves as the best example that Justice is blind, not recognizing any of the merits that General Cheyre demonstrated while in service, as well as later in retirement, regarding human rights. It is worth remembering that recently, the conversations that Alejandro San Francisco had with the general were published in a book titled So That Never Again.

I must admit that I have a ‘good’ impression of General Cheyre and I believe he sensed that Justice would condemn him. It was evident in his subdued demeanor, and understandably so. He was not only a general who modernized the organization, management, and equipment of the Chilean Army, but he also took on the responsibility of establishing the foundations for a professional Army under NATO standards, dedicated to its mission, outside of politics, and more importantly, acknowledging the past, knowing that many do not like or accept this, as it implies accepting the responsibilities of the leadership of that time regarding what happened in Chile in 1973.

Cheyre is one among the lieutenants and captains of ’73 who are assigned responsibilities for what occurred during that time. He was fortunate not to end up in Punta Peuco or one of the other prisons where those who were subordinates in the Chilean Army of the ’70s spend their last years, leaving, in his case and those mentioned, the feeling that Justice condemned the pawns and not the kings, queens, bishops, rooks, and knights.

A separate chapter is the fact that his conviction, as well as that of most retired military personnel convicted for human rights cases, was issued under the old criminal justice system, something that only applies to them and not to the rest of Chileans, which in itself constitutes a complexity that those accused of events that occurred 50 years ago must deal with.

It is a pity that such a brilliant military career ends in this way. It is neither logical nor seems fair to me, but I am not in a position to discuss the rulings of Chilean Justice. I am left with a bitter taste and the feeling that there must be many celebrating the downfall of the top of the class, the one who dared to acknowledge both the good and the bad of the military government, a government under which he developed much of his successful professional career, but which some feel he betrayed and disrespected, and therefore is receiving the punishment he deserves.

Richard Kouyoumdjian
Vice President of AthenaLab

Source: El Mostrador