The government has hired private security for the Constitutional Convention set to start in July. The contract went to a company that has a history of labor rights violations. In a final twist, the company assigned a former member of Augusto Pinochet’s security detail as head of security.
The government has outsourced security for the Constitutional Convention that will start deliberating a new Magna Carta on July 4. Incar Security has won the CLP$488 million (US$665,000), 10-month contract, according to investigative collective Ciper. This amount is similar to the citizen participation item in the budget, which is CLP$500 million.
Incar offered 12 hour shifts, prioritizing ex-Carabineros and ex-military personnel. Labor watchdog data shows that Incar was sanctioned 197 times over the last five years for violating labor regulations. The company did not pay salaries or reduced them arbitrarily, refused work breaks, and withheld social security contributions. Most recently, the company had to pay 60 monthly tax units (UTM, US$4,300) on May 29.
Incar was taken to court 77 times since 2017 for wrongful dismissal and other infractions. Yet, the company has retained its license and may provide services to public entities.
Also read:
Head of security
Incar designated Luis González Pérez as head of Constitutional Convention security. A former Carabinero sergeant, González Pérez was part of Augusto Pinochet’s security detail from 1988. He continued service for former president Patricio Aylwin and into Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle’s term until 1995. Asked by Ciper about human rights violations, González Pérez denied any involvement.
The government has also hired Tecsistem and Alfacom as IT equipment providers, GTD for internet services, and Mediastream to handle the CCTV system.However, the debates cannot be broadcast on TV unless approved by the office of the president’s chief-of-staff.
Javiera is from Santiago de Chile, she is studying journalism at Universidad de Chile, since 2017 and doing her internship at Chile Today.