We publish a series of updates translated from Spanish on the hearings that took place last week, beginning July 18, in the context of the trial of anarchists Francisco Solar and Mónica Caballero in Santiago, Chile. In particular, we publish those on the July 19-20 hearings and an informational update (in Spanish) on all the hearings from solidarity radio stations. Francisco and Mónica’s presence during the trial in the coming weeks will be via videoconference, while for the final phase, the closing arguments and the reading of the sentence, they will be back in court. During the July 18 hearing, prosecutor Álex Cortez said that for the prosecution he intends to impose a sentence of more than 150 years on Francisco and between 20 and 25 years on Mónica , while during the July 19 hearing Francisco reiterated his assumption of responsibility for all the actions, arguing their reasons and revolutionary significance. To supplement what has been published about the first day of the trial (updates, propaganda agitation activities and the live broadcast of the solidarity radio frequencies), we also include a brief and additional photographic account of the July 18 hearing.
To contextualize the trial and the actions for which the comrades stand accused today, we also invite you to read the following articles, updates, and statements: “Assuming responsibility” (Francisco Solar, December 2021), “Statement in view of the upcoming trial” (Mónica Caballero, Francisco Solar, April 2023), “Statement on the struggle of anarchist and subversive prisoners in Chilean jails” (Mónica Caballero, Francisco Solar, Joaquín García, Juan Aliste, Marcelo Villarroel, July 2023), “Declaration Facing the Beginning of the Trial” (Mónica Caballero, Francisco Solar, July 2023), “They are not the first, nor will they be the last. In view of the beginning of the trial against Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar, accomplice words from the anarchist and subversive anti-authoritarian brotherhood in prison” (Joaquín García, Juan Aliste, Marcelo Villarroel, July 2023), and “Trial against Francisco Solar and Mónica Caballero for the actions of the Cómplices Sediciosos – Fracción por la Venganza and the Afinidades Armadas en Revuelta: Agitation and propaganda, live on solidarity radio frequencies, presence outside the court (July 18, 2023).”
Revolutionary solidarity with Francisco Solar and Mónica Caballero!
More pictures from the July 18 solidarity presence
Some of what happened today at the solidarity presence at the hearing for Mónica and Francisco [photographs are at the bottom of the article, ed.]
Let’s overflow in solidarity with comrades!
(Published in Spanish on the Coordinadora por la libertad de lxs prisionierxs politicxs 18 de Octubre facebook page)
The trial against Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar has begun.
Around 08:30 this Tuesday morning [July 18, ed.], in Santiago’s Centro de Justicia, oral arguments began on the first day of the oral trial by which authorities intend to punish anarchist comrades Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar for attacking the former minister of the first Piñera government (nefarious repressor Rodrigo Hinzpeter), the 54th police station, located in the northern zone, and the Tánica building in the rich quarter.
The day was held in the Rondizoni building, with the presence of Mónica, transferred from San Miguel prison, and Francisco, transferred from La Gonzalina prison in Rancagua.
At the beginning of the hearing, the defense of the comrades asked for the removal of the excessive and ridiculous security measures, which consisted of handcuffs on the wrists, chains on the feet and a yellow vest, a request that was withdrawn only for the latter, maintaining the remaining measures.
Nicolás Toro, Francisco Solar’s lawyer, during a special broadcast of free anarchist radio stations in support of Mónica and Francisco, said that the trial because of its magnitude could last until September and that as a defense they are trying “to see the different legal aspects that will allow us to have the lowest possible sentences in relation to this attack by the state, this revenge.” The lawyer also referred to the pressure exerted by the media: “Mega has already launched a totally biased service, where they try to criminalize the actions of our comrades. We are facing this situation permanently,” he explained.
“We see how the prosecutor, in this case, has no problem anticipating to the press the charges that will be sustained during the trial, I think this has a clear objective and the objective is to predispose the court to give a serious sanction.”-Lawyer Nicolás Toro referring to prosecutor Alex Cortés.
The multiple charges read today consist of attempted murder, minor injuries to five officers of the carabineros, manufacture, placement and detonation of explosive devices (inherent in the Arms Control Act), and Mónica is also charged with possession of cannabis found in her apartment.
Prosecutor Álex Cortez, deputed to represent the prosecution in high-complexity proceedings, said that sentences of “more than 150 years” for Francisco and between 20 and 25 years for Mónica Caballero are sought for these actions, as they are related to only one of them. It is worth mentioning that Francisco, through a statement in December 2021, took direct responsibility for the facts.
During the hearing, the prosecution’s arguments were finally heard: the offensive prosecutor, the putrefied carabineros, the accomplices of the Chilean postal service, the ever nauseous municipality of El Bosque, the bourgeois representatives of Tánica and the fascists of the municipality of Vitacura, and, on the other side, the first arguments of Mónica’s defense, which focused its strategy on defending the innocence of the comrade in the acts for which she is accused, and Francisco’s, which focused on obtaining the lowest possible sentences for the comrade.
Meanwhile, outside the building, past 11:00 a.m., the solidarity presence in support of the comrade and partner began, during which banners were posted, communiqués read and choruses chanted in solidarity.
“There is no state or government that seeks justice, least of all when the state, government, business and capital see their murderous institutionalities and ties to power threatened by those who actively position themselves on the offensive in this social war. Today, through the legal apparatus, they seek to condemn with exemplary sentences comrades Francisco Solar and Mónica Caballero, who from the path of anarchy have brought to action the conflict with the powerful and those who oppress us.”-An excerpt from the Coordinadora 18 de Octubre communiqué.
As expected, the cops immediately went into action to gather information on those present at the event and began to conduct multiple identity checks. Today’s hearing ended around 1 p.m.
During these three years of imprisonment, Mónica and Francisco have sustained an active imprisonment, relating directly to the contexts outside the prison and their tensions, with opinions and actions from incarceration. In doing so, they have participated in various acts of internationalist solidarity, along with the rest of their anarchist and subversive comrades, and have also been part of the long 50-day hunger strike in 2021 against Decree-Law No. 321 and access to conditional release and the annulment of the military prosecutor’s convictions against subversive prisoner Marcelo Villarroel.
The call is to multiply actions of solidarity with our comrades around the world and to inform us about the situation of the trial through the free related media.
Mónica and Francisco in the streets!
(Published in Spanish on July 18 at https://lazarzamora.cl/?p=11311)
Update on the second hearing of the trial against Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar.
Today, July 19, 2023, the oral trial against comrades Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar continues.
In this second hearing, Francisco decided to make statements in the courtroom throughout the day, politically vindicating [as he did already with the December 2021 statement, ed] the attacks against Rodrigo Hinzpeter, the 54th carabineros commissariat and the Tánica building in the Vitacura municipality. During the hearing he was also questioned by prosecutors.
Regarding the first attacks, he said, “The intention of this action was to respond as much to the brutality of the carabineros as to a former interior minister remembered for his repressive aspect, it has come full circle.”
About the action in the neighborhood of the rich, he said, “With the uprising that began on October 18, 2019 […] the state was in crisis and March seemed to be a key month, in which many things could happen. It was in this context that I decided to bet on the uprising with the placement of two explosive devices.”
The prosecutor’s interrogations are expected to continue tomorrow, July 20, followed by those of the plaintiffs.
Solidarity and complicity with those who attack the powerful and the repressors!
(Published in Spanish on July 20 on some facebook pages)
Update on the continuation of the trial against Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar.
On July 19 and 20, Comrade Francisco Solar made statements in court, taking political responsibility for the actions for which he is imprisoned. The statement was followed by questions from the prosecutor, the plaintiffs, the defense, and the judges.
The trial against Mónica and Francisco continues with daily hearings and extensive statements from the police officers who conducted the investigation, and it is expected that the trial may last three months. At the request of both, their participation will be televised, being transferred to San Miguel and Rancagua jails, respectively, from where they will access the hearings via videoconference. For the final phase, the closing arguments and the reading of the sentence, they will return to attend court.
Solidarity and complicity with those who attack the powerful and the repressors!
(Published in Spanish on July 22 on some facebook pages)
Radio update from anarchist free radio stations on the first week of the trial against Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar
Radios Libres Anarquistas
We share this informative radio material on the first week of the trial against comrades Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar, produced by anarchist affinities of free radio stations, to disseminate the situation of our comrades, away from the speciousness, manipulation and sensationalism of the hegemonic power media.
This material is being freely disseminated to like-minded individualities and free media in all territories.
Listen from the following links:
– https://archive.org/details/informativo-juicio-monica-y-fco-semana-1
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXR2GaLh5qc
(Published in Spanish on July 25 at https://lazarzamora.cl/?p=11331)
[Updates published in Italian at https://lanemesi.noblogs.org/post/2023/07/27/processo-contro-francisco-solar-e-monica-caballero-per-le-azioni-dei-complices-sediciosos-fraccion-por-la-venganza-e-delle-afinidades-armadas-en-revuelta-18-20-luglio/]
