The Talca Parole Commission unanimously granted parole to Patricio Maturana Ojeda this Friday, October 16. Maturana is the former police officer convicted of the attack that blinded Senator Fabiola Campillai during the social unrest of 2019.
According to the ruling accessed by BioBioChile, Maturana is serving his sentence at Molina Penitentiary in the Maule Region. He will be allowed to leave the facility from December 2, 2026, when he completes the minimum required time.
"El solicitante gozará del beneficio que por esta resolución se otorga, una vez que cumpla el tiempo mínimo", states the document cited by BioBioChile.
Parole does not end the sentence. The convicted person serves the remainder of their sentence outside prison, subject to conditions and supervision. According to Chilevisión, the December date marks the point when Maturana will have completed half his sentence. The sources do not report how many years in prison he was sentenced to.
Campillai opposed parole. According to Chilevisión, she submitted her objection in writing and appeared in person before the commission. She criticized the convicted man for neither apologizing to her nor showing public remorse. She also warned that his release could affect her safety and psychological well-being.
The commission dismissed those arguments. It considered a favorable report from the Prison Service, which rated Maturana's risk of reoffending as "very low" and described his conduct as impeccable. It also concluded that the law requires serving half the sentence, rather than two-thirds, to qualify for parole.
The attack occurred on November 26, 2019, in San Bernardo, in the Metropolitan Region, while Campillai was on her way to work. She was struck by a tear gas canister fired by Maturana and lost her sight, taste and smell. She was later elected senator.
The ruling became public two days before another anniversary of the social unrest, on October 18. At the time of publication, the sources do not report whether the senator or her legal team will challenge the decision before parole takes effect on December 2, 2026.