Chilean Foreign Ministry Summons US Ambassador Over Claims of Leftist Involvement in 2019 Riots

The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned United States Ambassador Brandon Judd to request intelligence information regarding the violence that occurred during the 2019 social outbreak. The summons follows statements made by Judd in an interview with CNN Chile, where he asserted that US intelligence agencies concluded that the disturbances were categorically perpetrated by left wing organizations and activists. Judd stated that while he has not yet delivered this specific analysis to the Chilean justice system, the United States would be open to sharing the information if the Chilean government formally requested it. He clarified that his statements did not imply that US agents had conducted operations on Chilean soil. The Chilean Foreign Ministry described the information as being of maximum importance to clarify the events and identify those responsible for the violence. One report noted that the Inter American Commission on Human Rights previously found that while various groups attacked private and public infrastructure, state security forces under former President Sebastian Pinera used disproportionate and excessive force.