Chile - December 2025

On 22 December, the Senate voted to impeach Supreme Court Justice Diego Simpertigue, citing ‘notable abandonment of duties’ and ethical misconduct. He was convicted on two of three charges, stemming from his failure to recuse himself in cases involving the Belarusian-linked consortium Belaz Movitec. The consortium, which received over CLP 17 billion in state funds, benefited from rulings in which Simpertigue participated. Notably, Simpertigue authored a 2024 ruling that awarded the consortium over CLP 1 billion in additional payments from Codelco. His impartiality was questioned after revelations of a European cruise he attended with one of the consortium's lawyers shortly after the rulings. The corruption allegations span multiple years, with key rulings in 2023 and 2024 linked to the consortium's legal disputes. Lawmakers highlighted that his actions undermined judicial impartiality. The Senate's decision also bars Simpertigue from holding public office for five years.

Sources: Ciper, La Tercera, ExAnte, Senado de la Republica