Chilean Chamber of Deputies Forms Committee to Investigate Ex-Minister Steinert's PDI Interactions

Chile's Chamber of Deputies has established an investigative committee to scrutinize the interactions between former Security Minister Trinidad Steinert and the Investigative Police (PDI). This move comes after the Comptroller General's office determined that Steinert had overstepped her legal boundaries concerning the dismissal of Consuelo Peña, the former deputy director of PDI Intelligence.

Initially, consensus on the committee's structure proved elusive, leading the opposition to advocate for a constitutional accusation against Steinert. To resolve the deadlock, the Chamber's leadership proposed a new committee composition. This newly formed body will comprise six deputies from the government coalition, six from the opposition parties, including the Christian Democrats (DC), and one deputy from the Partido de la Gente.

The committee is set to commence its work this Tuesday. Its initial tasks will include electing a president and determining which individuals will be summoned for questioning in subsequent sessions. The investigation aims to clarify the extent of Steinert's involvement and the appropriateness of her actions in the PDI personnel changes.