CHILE · CRIME
Key Facts
- Power Index Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 63.6 points (October 2026 edition).
- What is happening Two local outlets say Carabineros, Chile’s national police, detained another Martín Pérez kidnapping suspect on Monday, 2 November.
- Why it matters Prosecutors describe a ransom kidnapping that ended in a 19-year-old’s death, and more people may still be sought.
- The numbers Five held by 30 October, three jailed on 2 November; newest detainee counted as fifth or sixth.
- Who is who Prosecutors of the ECOH organised crime and homicide team lead the case; Carabineros’ OS9 unit made the arrests.
- What to watch Whether prosecutors confirm the new detainee, state a total and say what role each suspect had.
- What it means for you Nothing public says tourists were targeted; US travellers can check the State Department’s Chile advisory before booking.
Local outlets say Chilean police detained another suspect on 2 November. Prosecutors have not published a new total.
A new Martín Pérez arrest was reported on Monday, 2 November, as national police detained another suspect in the kidnapping case. No prosecutors’ statement on it could be found by Tuesday, 3 November, and outlets count the person as fifth or sixth.
Martín Pérez, 19, was abducted in Santiago on Monday, 26 October, and found dead on Friday, 30 October, prosecutors say. For US readers, the case shows how Chilean prosecutors and courts handle a ransom kidnapping.
What the Martín Pérez Arrest Reports Say
The reports say the person was captured during fresh investigative steps by OS9, the Carabineros unit that fights organised crime. They do not say where the arrest took place or what part the person is suspected of playing.
Neither report gives the person’s nationality or age, and no name has been made public. Because prosecutors have not spoken, the detention is described here as reported, not confirmed.
One outlet counts the person as the fifth detainee, while another headline puts the total at six people captured. Both were published on Monday, 2 November.
Why the Arrest Count Differs
On Friday, 30 October, a prosecutor said five people were in custody. Chilean authorities described all five as Venezuelan, and local outlets repeated that.
On Monday, 2 November, a court jailed three suspects, and local reports say a fourth was already in jail. One report adds that a detained woman was released, but outlets do not explain why their tallies differ.
The number of people detained is not the same as the number formally charged in court. A person can be held, questioned and released without ever being jailed before trial.
What Prosecutors Said About Others Involved
Prosecutor Pablo Sabaj leads the ECOH organised crime and homicide team of the Santiago prosecutor’s office on an acting basis. On Friday, 30 October, he said four of the five detainees took part directly in the kidnapping.
He said one detainee probably caused the death, and that others with a lesser part were not yet in custody. Prosecutors are also checking whether the suspects belong to a criminal group.
Those remarks leave room for further arrests. Prosecutors have not said whether the person detained on Monday is one of those others.
How a Chilean Arrest Becomes a Court Case
After an arrest, a detainee must be brought before a judge promptly, usually within a day, for a detention hearing. A guarantee judge checks that the arrest was lawful and hears the prosecutor’s request.
Prosecutors then formalise the case by telling the judge which crimes they are investigating, and ask for pretrial detention or lighter measures. The custody decision can be appealed and is not a verdict.
A confidentiality order, already granted for the three jailed suspects, limits what becomes public. That is one reason details of the newest detention may emerge slowly.
In Plain English
- ECOH: the organised crime and homicide team of the Santiago prosecutor’s office, which runs this investigation.
- OS9: the Carabineros unit that investigates organised crime and made the arrests in this case.
- Guarantee court: the judge who protects suspects’ rights and decides on custody before trial.
- Formalisation: the hearing where prosecutors tell a suspect and the judge what the investigation covers.
- Pretrial detention: custody while the case is prepared, ordered by a judge and open to appeal.
What It Means for You
Prosecutors describe a kidnapping for money, not random violence against visitors. For US readers, the practical step is to check the State Department’s current Chile travel advisory, which can change.
Background on the people involved is in a guide to the Martín Pérez suspects. The timeline is in the case explained, and the court decision is in Chile jails three over the Martín Pérez kidnapping.
More is on the Chile hub, in the Chile country guide and in the Santiago city guide. Policing is covered in Chile security and crime explained and in the probe into a kidnapping ring.
What Is Not Known
Prosecutors have not published the new detainee’s identity, nationality, role or charges, and no hearing for the person has been reported. The total number of people detained is unconfirmed.
The court file has not been seen. One outlet reported a separate drug charge for one detainee (unconfirmed), and motive remains under investigation.
What Comes Next
If the person is formally charged, a guarantee court hearing should follow, and prosecutors may name the charges. Any further arrests would go through the same hearings.
The main file is confidential for now, so details may come slowly. Arrests and pretrial detention do not predict the outcome of a trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has a sixth person been arrested in the Martín Pérez case?
Two local outlets report a further detainee on 2 November, counting the person as fifth or sixth. Prosecutors have not published a statement confirming a total.
Who is Martín Pérez?
Martín Pérez was a 19-year-old abducted in Estación Central, Santiago, on 26 October. His body was found in Colina on 30 October.
What did the court decide on 2 November?
A Santiago guarantee court ordered pretrial detention for three suspects on kidnapping-with-homicide charges. That is a custody decision, not a verdict.
Are all the suspects Venezuelan?
Chilean authorities described all five held by 30 October as Venezuelan, and three outlets repeated it. The newest detainee’s nationality has not been published.
Does the case affect visitors to Chile?
Nothing in the public record says foreigners were targeted. Check the State Department’s current Chile advisory before you travel.
Sources: Statements by Chilean prosecutors (ECOH Metropolitano) and Carabineros of 30 October to 2 November 2026 and the court hearing of 2 November, as relayed by local outlets; Fiscalía de Chile, national news page (no release on this case found on 3 November); Carabineros de Chile; Poder Judicial de Chile; US Department of State, Chile Travel Advisory (all accessed 3 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief