Chile Politics
Key Facts
·Who. Deputies of Chile’s Libertarian National Party (PNL), led by Johannes Kaiser.
·What. Weighing an impeachment-style accusation against Supreme Court justices over child sex offender sentence cuts.
·Status. Not filed; deputies say it depends on lawyers confirming grave faults.
·Next. At least ten deputies sponsor it; the Chamber of Deputies votes; then the Senate decides.
·Power Index. Chile ranks 3rd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 62.9 points (November 2026 edition).
·As of 11 November 2026, 22:00 GMT
Deputies of Chile’s Libertarian National Party (PNL) said on Wednesday 11 November 2026 that they are working on a constitutional accusation, Chile’s form of impeachment, against Supreme Court justices. The target is the judges behind sentence cuts for child sex offenders, and nothing has been filed yet.
The party is looking at justices who ruled the same way as Justice Minister Fernando Rabat. His ministry signed 56 sentence reductions for people convicted of sex crimes against minors, and he has said he acted within the law and followed the Supreme Court’s criterion.
What the Libertarians Are Doing
PNL deputy Erich Grohs said the party’s group of deputies is already working with a team of lawyers and will file the accusation if serious breaches of duty are confirmed. Deputy Gloria Naveillán said a group of constitutional-law specialists is studying the matter.
Party leader Johannes Kaiser said in late October that if the opposition accuses Rabat, he wants the heads of the justices who ruled like Rabat. The PNL has avoided calling for Rabat himself to leave, although some conservative lawmakers have.
Who Might Back It and Who Doubts It
Benjamín Moreno, who leads the deputies of the Republican Party, Kast’s own party, said that if the left accuses Rabat on that basis, his party would have no option but to support every accusation filed over the sentence cuts. His position is conditional on whether the left files against Rabat.
Deputy Flor Weisse, who leads the deputies of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI), a conservative party, said judges cannot be accused for their rulings and that taking a position before the legal grounds are known would be irresponsible. Deputy Ximena Ossandón of National Renewal (RN), another conservative party, said accusing judges is already crossing a threshold of institutional breakdown.
How an Accusation Works
A constitutional accusation against Supreme Court justices needs the sponsorship of at least ten deputies. The Chamber of Deputies, Chile’s lower house, votes first, by a majority of those present.
If the Chamber approves, the Senate, the upper house, decides whether the justices are removed. The opposition’s separate accusation against Rabat, announced about two weeks ago, had not been filed as of 11 November.
What It Means for You
For US readers, this is friction inside Chile’s conservative camp, not a change in economic policy. Chile is a major copper exporter, and a clash between Congress and the courts tests its reputation for institutional stability.
Two things are worth watching: whether enough deputies sign the libertarian accusation, and whether the opposition files against Rabat. Until then, neither move has legal effect.
What Is Not Known
The party has not named which justices it would accuse, and no filing date has been announced. How many deputies back the plan is also unknown.
No wrongdoing by any justice has been established, and the party says it will file only if its lawyers confirm grave faults. Whether the opposition will file its own accusation against Rabat is also open.
Our explainer on why Chile’s courts cut child sex crime sentences gives the legal background, and our earlier report on the sentence cuts follows the government’s response. More is on our Chile page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a constitutional accusation in Chile?
It is a procedure in which the Chamber of Deputies accuses senior officials, including Supreme Court justices, of serious neglect of duty. The Senate then decides whether to remove them.
Has the libertarian party filed the accusation?
No. As of 11 November 2026 its deputies said they were still studying the legal grounds with lawyers.
Who is Fernando Rabat?
Rabat is Chile’s Justice Minister under President José Antonio Kast. His ministry signed 56 sentence reductions for people convicted of sex crimes against minors.
Sources
Chamber of Deputies of Chile, rules on constitutional accusations (camara.cl); Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Chile (minjusticia.gob.cl); statements by PNL, Republican, UDI and RN deputies, 28 October to 11 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error