Member of the People’s Ombudsman’s Office injured during demonstration in Santiago dies

This Sunday was confirmed the death of the member of the Ombudsman’s Office and law student, Denisse Cortés, who was injured during a demonstration that departed in Plaza Italia—also known as Plaza Dignidad—under the slogan of autonomy and resistance of the Mapuche people, within the framework of the upcoming celebration of the Day of the Meeting of Two Worlds
The information was confirmed by Denisse’s family, who had to be rushed to the former Posta Central, due to the severity of her injuries. The causes, according to Carabineros, the 42-year-old lawyer candidate would have been impacted by fireworks that were directed towards the troops. On social networks, meanwhile, witnesses who captured the subsequent moments pointed out that the woman had been hit in the neck by a tear gas bomb.
It is worth mentioning that at first it was thought that she was a lawyer from the organization called the Ombudsman’s Office, until it was clarified that it was the third-year law student Denisse Cortés Saavedra (43) of the Academy of Christian Humanism University. The student was also part of the Ombudsman’s Office, an informal group of lawyers and law students, as well as specialists in other areas – social workers, doctors, experts of various kinds – which since 2005 has provided legal assistance to people prosecuted for participating in acts of social protest.

Video via Twitter: @cheosandoval_p

Video: @J_Kirschtein_
From the INDH, the regional head of the RM, Beatriz Contreras, was constituted in the care facility to collect information about Denisse Cortés. Meanwhile, Carabineros reported the facts to the Public Ministry, so an investigation was opened that will be in charge of the prosecutor Macarena Cañas of the Metropolitan Prosecutor’s Office North Center. Likewise, the proceedings will be led by the Investigation Police (PDI).
Both the family and the lawyer of the Ombudsman’s Office, Rodrigo Román, confirmed that the victim was a law student at the Academy of Christian Humanism University and a member of that organization, who was carrying out observation work at the demonstration.
“With deep sorrow we communicate the death of our 3rd year law student, Denisse Cortés Saavedra. We accompany his family at this time in the former Posta Central, attentive to + information We highlight his defense of Human Rights, from health brigades and legal defense, “they said from the University Academy of Christian Humanism.
The Public Assistance Emergency Hospital, formerly Posta Central, issued a statement following Denisse’s death. The care center said that “this Sunday, at 12:04 p.m., a 43-year-old female patient was admitted to the Emergency Service where she was attended by the medical team and later referred to the pavilion.”
“Unfortunately, the patient died during the intervention in the afternoon. All additional information, protected by Law 20,584, and respecting the request, will be delivered directly to their families,” the statement added.
“The brutal repression of FF.EE. in today’s march ended in the painful death of Denisse Cortés. The responsibilities and why the carabineros did not allow timely attention after being injured must be clarified as soon as possible. Anger, sadness and indignation. Justice for Denisse,” PC deputy Camila Vallejos said on Twitter. 
The presidential candidate of Apruebo Dignidad, Gabriel Boric, expressed a “deep sorrow for the death of Denisse Cortés in today’s march. We accompany his family, compañer@s and the community of the Academy of Christian Humanism in their sorrow and demand that the individual and institutional responsibilities involved be thoroughly investigated.”
The flag bearer of the New Social Pact extended her deepest condolences to the family and loved ones. “We ask that the Prosecutor’s Office and the PDI act with the utmost speed to know the events and clarify what happened in the events that caused his death.”
The mayor of Recoleta, Daniel Jadue also spoke on the social network and said that “we must know the truth about the death of Denisse Cortés, a human rights defender, in the midst of a harsh repression against a march of solidarity with the Mapuche people. The State of Chile does not guarantee the free right to demonstrate in the country. Outrageous!”.
It is worth mentioning that with clashes between demonstrators and the Chilean police toNtidisturbios left at least 10 detainees and 18 injured this Sunday in the center of Santiago while a march in favor of the Mapuche people was taking place.
Characterized as “March for the Mapuche resistance and autonomy of the peoples” and convened via social networks, the concentration gathered about a thousand people in the emblematic point of Plaza Italia, who then moved towards the Alameda, the main artery of the Chilean capital.
Among the demonstrators were representatives of indigenous communities, mostly women, and people of all ages dressed in traditional Mapuche costumes and the Wenüfoye flag as the main symbol of the march, as well as instruments such as cultrún (Mapuche drum) and trutrukas (wind instrument).

Original source in Spanish