After 40 days of an unsuccessful investigation plagued by false leads, cross accusations, and the complicity of shadowy powers, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich suggested that the judicial system should invoke the figure of the “repentant” to encourage some of the detained individuals to reveal what happened to Loan Peña, who went missing on June 13 in the town of 9 de Julio, Corrientes.
Bullrich stated, “These cases involve a very small group of people who know what happened, and due to unclear circumstances, they have chosen to remain silent.” She emphasized a significant “black hole” of information regarding the time when the five-year-old boy left his grandmother’s house heading towards an orange grove with a group that had participated in a lunch together. “Five individuals could have had direct contact with Loan, and one of them must speak up,” she added.
As it stands, eight individuals have been detained in connection with the case. They include Antonio Benítez, the boy’s uncle; Daniel Oscar Ramírez and Mónica del Carmen Millapi, the uncle’s friends; María Victoria Caillava, a former municipal official, and her husband, retired Navy Captain Carlos Pérez; Walter Adrián Maciel, the local police chief in charge of the initial search; Laudelina Peña, another aunt; and retired provincial police officer Francisco Amado Méndez, who served as an informant for the former police chief.
Bullrich specifically pointed out Benítez, Ramírez, Millapi, Laudelina Peña, and Maciel, later including the Pérez-Caillava couple while exempting Méndez, the last person detained. She noted that these cases involve very challenging circumstances and expressed concerns that the answers may be trapped within these detained individuals. “This is a case that could result in a sentence of 5 to 15 years if no one speaks up. However, the person who does talk could avoid a sentence by telling the truth and pointing out who was responsible for Loan’s disappearance,” the Security Minister stated.
This Wednesday marks 41 days since the boy’s disappearance. “All the information we have received so far is secondary; the main information lies with the detained individuals,” she underscored, reiterating her belief that one of those individuals must come forward or one of the accomplices must speak out.
The situation is dire, as Bullrich pointed out, mentioning that the police chief could have played a crucial role as an accomplice, or that the Pérez-Caillava couple might be involved. She asserted, “We know it wasn’t an accident; someone took him.” In this light, she believes that the judicial system needs to offer incentives for remorseful individuals to confess and share what happened, potentially negotiating their sentences.
Bullrich expressed her frustration regarding the few leads available and stated that the investigation began too slowly. When asked about the likelihood that Loan might still be found in the area where he was last seen, she responded, “There is hope, of course. It’s an open field, and any situation should have been noticed, but it’s also a vast area. It’s a hypothesis.”
Addressing allegations of political complicity involving the government of Gustavo Valdés, she firmly rejected any notions of involving the provincial governor in the case, calling it “absolutely absurd.” She urged a measured approach, indicating that they had been cautious about making unnecessary statements to avoid implicating individuals who had nothing to do with the case.
Bullrich emphasized, “Involving the governor is completely inappropriate. I do not agree with any speculation. There were five individuals present, plus two others who left, and they may have had contact with Loan. These are the people who know what happened. They need to be made to talk so they can tell their parents and the public the truth.”
Furthermore, regarding testimony from Macarena, Laudelina’s daughter, who mentioned former provincial Security Minister Buenaventura Duarte, Bullrich emphasized that the young woman herself is among the accused, holding critical knowledge about what transpired. Thus, it is essential to manage her testimony carefully to prevent any attempts to incriminate others.
“Anyone attempting to accuse someone must be able to tell us where Loan is,” she added, stressing the critical need to discover the truth of the matter.
Former police chief Maciel has requested to expand his testimony, which he plans to do on Thursday. Bullrich hopes he will have something significant to contribute: “That is the expectation,” she noted. However, she clarified that the only valuable form of remorse would be knowing where Loan is.
“The judge and the prosecutors will decide the level of cooperation. At this point, the only substantial thing they can provide is the location of Loan,” concluded the minister.
A significant search operation for Loan was conducted on Tuesday in Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut, following a tip-off. A man claimed to have encountered a boy who identified himself as Loan. However, this turned out to be a false alarm as authorities identified the child as someone else.
An alert was raised on Monday night when a 46-year-old Army veteran named J.F. reported that a child approached him saying, “I am Loan.” While waiting for his wife at the intersection of San Martín and Alem avenues, another boy came up claiming to be Loan, after which an adult accompanying him took him away. This scenario prompted an extensive search the following day.
The alert was sent to Federal Prosecutor Norberto Bellber, who ordered the review of surveillance cameras and set up a lockdown operation on the national highways and local roads. High-ranking sources indicated skepticism about this new lead as it appeared to be yet another false alarm. Since Loan’s disappearance, numerous leads and hundreds of calls to the relevant hotline have not yielded any results.
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