South America07 April, 20261 min read
Australian Court Clears Pinochet-Era Nanny Adriana Rivas For Extradition
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Adriana Elcira Rivas, a 72-year-old former Bondi nanny, faces Chilean kidnapping and torture charges. Extradition ordered after seven-year legal battle; she will be extradited to Chile.
Extradition Ordered
Adriana Rivas has lost her final legal bid to avoid extradition to Chile. The Federal Court dismissed her arguments that the charges were mischaracterized crimes against humanity.
Rivas was the personal secretary to secret police chief Manuel Contreras. She has resisted extradition for seven years and was arrested at Chile's request in 2019.
Charges and Accusations
Rivas is accused of participating in the disappearance of seven people including a woman who was five months pregnant. She denies the allegations and claimed extradition should be blocked because of crimes against humanity.
The ambassador and consul general of Chile sat in the public gallery as the decision was handed down. More than 40,000 were politically persecuted under Pinochet, with some 3,000 killed.
Historical Context
Rivas served as Contreras's personal secretary from 1973 to 1976. She is alleged to have become an active agent for the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA).
The DINA abducted, tortured, killed and forcibly disappeared thousands of people. The broader Chilean quest for justice has lasted more than 40 years.