A Chilean parole commission on Friday 16 October 2026 unanimously approved conditional release for Patricio Maturana, the former police captain who blinded Fabiola Campillai in 2019. Campillai, who is now a senator, told the commission she opposed his release.
The Patricio Maturana parole decision has drawn attention to a case about tear gas and other less-lethal weapons used against protesters. Chile is a US partner and a destination for American travellers, so how its courts handle police abuse matters beyond its borders.
Parole is the early release of a prisoner under supervision. Maturana, a former captain in the Carabineros, Chile’s national police, is serving a sentence of 12 years and 183 days.
Key Facts
—Who. Patricio Maturana, a former Carabineros captain, and Senator Fabiola Campillai.
—What. Parole approved unanimously for a convicted ex-officer serving 12 years and 183 days.
—Where. The Conditional Release Commission in Talca, Chile; the 2019 shooting took place in San Bernardo, Santiago.
—When. Decision on Friday 16 October 2026; release reported to take effect on 2 December 2026.
—Why it matters. A well-known police-force and accountability case in a US partner country, with a senator as the victim.
—As of 16 October 2026, 20:30 GMT
What We Know
On Friday 16 October 2026, the Conditional Release Commission in Talca approved parole for Maturana by a unanimous vote. The release is reported to take effect on 2 December 2026.
Maturana is serving 12 years and 183 days for illegal coercion causing the most serious injuries, known in Chile as “apremios ilegítimos”. The San Bernardo oral criminal court convicted him in September 2022, and the San Miguel Court of Appeals upheld the verdict in January 2023.
On Tuesday 26 November 2019, during Chile’s protests known as the “estallido social” (social outburst), Maturana fired a tear-gas canister. It hit Campillai in the face in San Bernardo, in Santiago, on her way to work.
Campillai lost her sight in both eyes, her sense of smell and her sense of taste, and suffered severe facial fractures. She is now a senator for the Santiago Metropolitan Region.
Maturana has had Sunday release from prison since February 2026. His lawyer, Nubia Vivanco, asked for a presidential pardon in March 2026, after the current government took office.
Campillai appeared before the commission and opposed the release. She argued that Maturana never apologised and that his freedom threatens her safety and psychological wellbeing.
She told the media that Maturana never cooperated with justice. She also said he has never apologised for shooting her.
The prison service, Gendarmería, reported that Maturana shows an adequate assumption of responsibility. It rated his risk of reoffending as very low.
In August 2026, Chile’s Chamber of Deputies approved a resolution asking President José Antonio Kast to pardon Maturana. The vote was 73 in favour, 51 against and 16 abstentions, and Campillai called the resolution “aberrante” (aberrant).
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether President Kast will grant a pardon. A pardon would be a separate decision from the parole approved on Friday.
The exact conditions of the parole have not been detailed. It is also unclear whether the decision can be appealed.
What It Means for US Readers
The case shows how a democracy handles accountability for police force during mass protests. Courts convicted the officer, and a parole commission has now weighed a prison service assessment against the victim’s objections.
For US readers following the debate over tear gas and less-lethal weapons, it is a reminder of how lasting the harm from such weapons can be. It also shows that a victim can become a national political figure, since the woman the Chile carabinero blinded now sits in the Senate.
Parole differs from a pardon. Parole is early release that the commission approved, while a pardon would be a separate act by the president.
The next date in the case is 2 December 2026, when the release is reported to take effect. The questions of a pardon and of any appeal remain open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Patricio Maturana?
Patricio Maturana is a former captain of the Carabineros, Chile’s national police. He was convicted in September 2022 over the 2019 tear-gas shooting of Fabiola Campillai.
What happened to Fabiola Campillai?
On 26 November 2019, a tear-gas canister fired by Maturana hit her in the face in San Bernardo on her way to work. She lost her sight in both eyes and is now a senator for the Santiago Metropolitan Region.
When will Maturana be released?
The parole commission approved his release on 16 October 2026, and it is reported to take effect on 2 December 2026. He has had Sunday release from prison since February 2026.
Can Maturana still be pardoned?
His lawyer asked for a presidential pardon in March 2026, and Chile’s Chamber of Deputies asked President José Antonio Kast to grant one in August 2026. It is not known whether a pardon will be granted.
Sources
BioBioChile; La Tercera; Emol; Chilevisión; the Conditional Release Commission of the Talca Court of Appeals and Gendarmería de Chile, as reported by these outlets.