Kast Replaces Chile’s Justice Undersecretary Amid Sentence-Reduction Controversy

Chilean President José Antonio Kast accepted the resignation of Justice Undersecretary Luis Alejandro Silva Irarrázaval and appointed lawyer Josefina Soto Larreátegui to replace him on October 30. The change came amid controversy over Justice Ministry decrees reducing sentences for people convicted of sexual offences against children. Fernando Rabat remained justice minister. The government’s announcement said Kast had accepted Silva’s resignation and that Soto’s appointment took effect the same day. Rabat thanked Silva for his work, commitment and loyalty during eight months in office. “He was a close collaborator, and I deeply value his contribution,” the minister said in a public statement. Silva had released an explanatory video on Thursday evening in which he said that, while serving as acting justice minister, he had followed the minister’s established criterion for sentence reductions. His departure followed pressure from lawmakers in both the governing camp and the opposition. Opposition lawmakers were preparing a constitutional accusation against Rabat. Soto is a lawyer trained at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Her previous government roles included coordinating legal and administrative work at the Finance Ministry from 2018 to 2022 and serving as chief of staff to the energy minister from 2011 to 2014. She also served on the Technical Admissibility Committee during Chile’s 2023 constitutional process.