Enrique Arancibia Clavel
Encyclopedia
Enrique Arancibia was a Chilean DINA agent, who resided in unofficial exile in Buenos Aires after the assassination of Chilean Army Chief of Staff René Schneider
on 25 October 1970. He was arrested by Argentine intelligence officers shortly after the extradition of Michael Townley
to the US, and charged with espionage. His life sentence for the 1974 assassination of General Carlos Prats
in Buenos Aires was upheld in an Argentine court in August 2004, the court thereby ruling that crimes against humanity do not have a statutory limit
in Argentina, including those committed during the Dirty War
. Townley was also involved in Carlos Prats' assassination.
Arancibia was sentenced in 2004 by an Argentine court for the kidnapping of Laura Elgueta and another Chilean woman in Buenos Aires. Elgueta was later charged with relaying communications for the ex-Minister of Defence Vivianne Blanlot
.
Declassified documents of the FBI suggest that Arancibia had also been in conctact with Italian neo-fascist terrorist Stefano Delle Chiaie
.
Although the Prats case was still open in Chile, Arancibia was freed under parole
in July 2007, after nearly 20 years of prison.
On 28 April 2011, his body was found in his flat on Lavalle street, in downtown Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, with multiple stab wounds in the back and chest.
René Schneider
General René Schneider Chereau was the commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army at the time of the 1970 Chilean presidential election, when he was assassinated during a botched kidnapping attempt. His murder virtually assured Salvador Allende's eventual overthrow and death in a coup three years later...
on 25 October 1970. He was arrested by Argentine intelligence officers shortly after the extradition of Michael Townley
Michael Townley
Michael Vernon Townley is a US citizen currently living in the United States under terms of the federal witness protection program. A Central Intelligence Agency agent and operative of the Chilean secret police, DINA, Townley confessed, was convicted, and served 62 months in prison in the United...
to the US, and charged with espionage. His life sentence for the 1974 assassination of General Carlos Prats
Carlos Prats
General Carlos Prats González was a Chilean Army officer, a political figure, minister and Vice President of Chile during President Salvador Allende's government, and General Augusto Pinochet's predecessor as commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army...
in Buenos Aires was upheld in an Argentine court in August 2004, the court thereby ruling that crimes against humanity do not have a statutory limit
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
in Argentina, including those committed during the Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
. Townley was also involved in Carlos Prats' assassination.
Arancibia was sentenced in 2004 by an Argentine court for the kidnapping of Laura Elgueta and another Chilean woman in Buenos Aires. Elgueta was later charged with relaying communications for the ex-Minister of Defence Vivianne Blanlot
Vivianne Blanlot
Vivianne Blanlot Soza is a Chilean economist and politician. She studied economics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. In 2006 Michelle Bachelet appointed her as Minister of National Defense. She acted as government envoy at the funeral of Augusto Pinochet where she faced boos from...
.
Declassified documents of the FBI suggest that Arancibia had also been in conctact with Italian neo-fascist terrorist Stefano Delle Chiaie
Stefano Delle Chiaie
Stefano Delle Chiaie is a neofascist Italian activist . He went on to become a wanted man worldwide, suspect to be involved in Italy's strategy of tension, but was acquitted. He was a friend of Licio Gelli, grandmaster of P2 masonic lodge...
.
Although the Prats case was still open in Chile, Arancibia was freed under parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
in July 2007, after nearly 20 years of prison.
On 28 April 2011, his body was found in his flat on Lavalle street, in downtown Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, with multiple stab wounds in the back and chest.