MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sexual scandal now involves Chile's President himself

Boric claims he was the victim of a woman of legal age who said she loved him

A case of alleged sexual assault dating back some 10 years has resurfaced against Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font just when the uproar from the scandal involving former Undersecretary of the Interior Manuel Monsalve was waning down with the official in pre-trial detention

 The improper behavior is said to have taken place in Punta Arenas when Boric was 27 and even before he became a Congressman. The president's lawyer Jonatan Valenzuela Saldías explained that Boric was actually the complainant's victim. Between 2013 and 2014 Boric received harassing emails from different addresses from this woman, “including in one of them the unsolicited and non-consensual sending of images of an explicit nature.” Boric also denied having disseminated the images as he is being accused of.

In July 2013, Boric was doing the professional practice of his law studies in Punta Arenas, where he met his accuser. Although the complaint was filed before the Magallanes Regional Prosecutor's Office on Sept. 6, it was not until this week that the fact became public.

Valenzuela Saldías also claimed that his client “never had an affective relationship or friendship” with the complainant and, therefore, “categorically rejects and denies the allegation.” He also pointed out that the woman was already of legal age during Boric's internship.

“Ten years later, the sender of the emails filed a complaint without any basis whatsoever, against the already president Gabriel Boric on September 6, 2024,” the counselor argued. Since July 2014 there has been no contact between them, he added while noting that Boric had already delivered to the Prosecutor's Office all the e-mails sent and any other pertinent evidence. Boric “has been at complete disposal for the most absolute clarification of these facts” and that he himself delivered to the Magallanes Prosecutor's Office last October 22 a “copy of all the existing emails, which are clearly enlightening,” Valenzuela stressed.

According to CNN Chile, which had access to the emails, the sender and now complainant sent the president -when they were both students- photos of sexual content and emails in which she assured him that she was in love with him.

Monsalve's case dented Boric's popularity given the alleged maneuvers by the leftwing administration to cover it up. It remains to be seen how this new episode impacts the president's image.

The improper behavior is said to have taken place in Punta Arenas when Boric was 27 and even before he became a Congressman. The president's lawyer Jonatan Valenzuela Saldías explained that Boric was actually the complainant's victim. Between 2013 and 2014 Boric received harassing emails from different addresses from this woman, “including in one of them the unsolicited and non-consensual sending of images of an explicit nature.” Boric also denied having disseminated the images as he is being accused of.

In July 2013, Boric was doing the professional practice of his law studies in Punta Arenas, where he met his accuser. Although the complaint was filed before the Magallanes Regional Prosecutor's Office on Sept. 6, it was not until this week that the fact became public.

Valenzuela Saldías also claimed that his client “never had an affective relationship or friendship” with the complainant and, therefore, “categorically rejects and denies the allegation.” He also pointed out that the woman was already of legal age during Boric's internship.

“Ten years later, the sender of the emails filed a complaint without any basis whatsoever, against the already president Gabriel Boric on September 6, 2024,” the counselor argued.

Since July 2014 there has been no contact between them, he added while noting that Boric had already delivered to the Prosecutor's Office all the e-mails sent and any other pertinent evidence. Boric “has been at complete disposal for the most absolute clarification of these facts” and that he himself delivered to the Magallanes Prosecutor's Office last October 22 a “copy of all the existing emails, which are clearly enlightening,” Valenzuela stressed.

According to CNN Chile, which had access to the emails, the sender and now complainant sent the president -when they were both students- photos of sexual content and emails in which she assured him that she was in love with him.

Monsalve's case dented Boric's popularity given the alleged maneuvers by the leftwing administration to cover it up. It remains to be seen how this new episode impacts the president's image.