“The Army lies and no one says anything”: Ivania Echeverría’s family accuses little progress in the investigation into the death of the second lieutenant

Two administrative summaries were carried out after the second lieutenant Ivania Echeverria25 years old, was found lifeless on the floor of her cabin at Mountain Detachment No. 17 of Los Angeles on October 31, 2021. According to the Army version, would have taken his lifebut the young woman’s family He does not believe in that hypothesis and accuses that something else happened.

In the first investigation, the second lieutenant’s mother, Ivette Muñozdeclared before the designated colonel that his daughter He suffered sexual and workplace harassment from his superiors. “He promised to ask for an extension of the investigation, what didn’t happenand It only gave me the economic benefits“said the woman in conversation with DNA.cl.

Given this, he complained and a second administrative investigation in charge of another colonel. “This official listen to the same thing you heard the previous oneand here five people come out sanctioned for workplace and sexual harassment, harassment and unfair humiliation towards Ivania,” said Muñoz.

According to the woman, one of them is Raul Ferreirawho did not activate any protocol to protect the second lieutenant, after she recount the mistreatment he was receiving. Even though the Army signed a agreement on the treatment of harassing behavior with the Ministries of Defense and Womenaccording to LVQS.

What happened at the meeting?

From a young age, Ivania expressed his desire to join the Armyso he applied for first time to said institution when he was 17 years old. Although he passed all the exams, He could not enter because he was a minor., but this did not change his position. And the following year he applied again, being selected immediately.

“She when he was a cadet he didn’t have a bad time (…) She was excited about what she learned at school when Los Angeles Regimentbut when he arrived he found with something totally different. He went away disillusioned by mistreatment, I had not contemplated that they were going to treat her like this”Muñoz said.

And it all ended October 31, 2021. That day, Ivania was in his home with his partnerwhom she was going to marry on November 17, since was free and He had just started his guard at 6:00 p.m.. But, according to Muñoz, the captain Gonzalo Herrera He called her to summon her to a meeting at the detachment, along with another officer, to which the second lieutenant later joined.

I believe that when my daughter entered that office, these officials began to harass her. And when Herrera and another captain were left alone with her, a third person enters and I still don’t know who belongs to her, because they have a pact of silence.

— Ivette Muñoz

And he assured that “everyone saw Ivania enter that meeting, but there is no one who tells me that they saw her leave. Even, security camera recordings were deleted. So, There are more questions than answers that I have received from the Army.”

Found with a blow to the back of the head

Ivania was found dead in her cabin by her fiancéwho arrived at the detachment after the young woman called him when leaving the meeting to tell him that I was tired of harassment. Before entering, he heard a noise that came from inside, and When he opened the door he saw her lying on the floor..

The cause of death: asphyxiation by hanging. And when staff Carabineros moved to the place, took photos in which you can see that “Ivania comes out holding the leg of a chair”stated the young woman’s mother, adding that the second lieutenant’s computer disappeared for a week.

Enlarge

And he explained that he had “a pre-autopsy report which says that also suffered a blow to the back of the headbut it is not consequence of his death (…) There are two alternatives: They killed my daughter or did something very serious to her at the meetingand that’s what I want to find out.”

All the irregularities that I see, no one else seems to see (…) They talk about suicide, but let them prove it to me. Here the Army lies and nobody says anything

— Ivette Muñoz

They ask that the visiting minister carry out an investigation

The Military Prosecutor’s Office leads the criminal investigation into the death of Ivania Echeverria, but his mother accuses that there has been little progress. First, The case fell into the hands of a prosecutor from Angolwho had it “until he prosecuted Gonzalo Herrera. They take it away and it goes to the eldest Cristian Arriagada in Concepción,” said Muñoz.

Along these lines, he assured that said official “He had the file for a few months and did absolutely nothing”. And in March of this year, the case was referred to a Temuco prosecutor. “I hope he comes up with something more concrete”he expressed.

Enlarge

However, he stated that he hopes that appoint a visiting minister to investigate the death of his daughter, so that apply the gender perspective and that the investigation does not remain “at half a standard or they will take it away from the prosecutor again”.

Army response

When consulted about the case, the Army confirmed to DNA.cl that “there are no pending resources in relation to the administrative summary investigation carried out.” And he added that “regarding the five officers investigatedthese were sanctioned and three of them separated from service”.

Enlarge

Finally, They did not provide updated information of the research carried out by the Military Prosecutor’s Office“because it is located in summary status, in process and with pending proceedings”.

Ministry of Defense response

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence informed DNA.cl that the minister Maya Fernandez “requested the Military Attorney General’s Office to become part of the case which has been investigated since October 2021, a fact that materialized in January 2023″.

Enlarge

Regarding the accusations he made Ivette Muñoz on the Instagram account @justiciaparaiviwhich was created to make the case visible, regarding the fact that Fernández promoted captain Gonzalo Herrera being punished for the death of the second lieutenant. The portfolio stated that “To date, no decree that promotes has been processed” to the aforementioned official.