Public Security Minister Martín Arrau and Carabineros Director General Marcelo Araya handed over around 300 CZ Scorpion EVO 3 submachine guns to the uniformed police. This begins the gradual replacement of the UZI, the submachine gun the institution has used for around 30 years.
According to BioBioChile, the ceremony took place at the Special Police Operations Group (GOPE) headquarters in the municipality of Independencia. La Tercera also covered the handover, placing it at GOPE premises in Cerrillos and saying it took place at night. The sources disagree on the municipality.
Arrau described the new weapons as "modern, lighter, ergonomic submachine guns". They use 9-millimeter ammunition and 30-round magazines. In his view, the automatic weapons give Carabineros officers greater firepower against crime he described as "increasingly violent".
The minister declined to specify how many weapons were purchased or how much they cost. He said that "there are several hundred in this first shipment, and more will keep arriving" and that he would also not disclose which specific units would receive them. He added that those details can be requested "through other mechanisms".
To use the weapon, each officer must first qualify at a shooting range. BioBioChile reported that this first stage targets GOPE and Radio Patrol prefectures, which respond to incidents in the Metropolitan Region and the rest of the country.
General Araya called the upgrade "fundamental" to combating organized crime. He highlighted each weapon's lower weight and improved maneuverability. He said they would be assigned to "units that are specialized, that are particularly focused on response", for highly complex situations.
Araya remembered Carabineros officers who died in the line of duty, including one from GOPE. He also reported that so far this year the unit has carried out more than 5,700 operations, including raids, support in drug-related operations and the disposal of devices.
Arrau presented the handover as part of a government plan. According to his figures, the 2027 budget for Carabineros, the Investigative Police (PDI) and the Prison Service rises by more than 9% compared with 2026. He also welcomed Congress's approval of the Rules on the Use of Force (RUF), with 111 votes in the Chamber and 29 in the Senate.
According to La Tercera, the minister announced that the police budget will grow further once a bill currently before Congress is approved. That initiative has a cost of 103 billion pesos and seeks to improve Carabineros officers' pay.
