Chilean Congressman Johannes Kaiser Must Be Stripped of His Mandate for Inciting Violence and Disrespecting the Memory of Victims

 By Rodolfo Varela

On July 30, 2025, Chilean Congressman Johannes Kaiser publicly expressed support for the idea of a military coup in the country. His statements go far beyond a simple opinion—they represent a dangerous incitement to violence, a direct attack on democracy, and a shameful insult to the memory of thousands of victims of state terrorism. 

Feeble-minded Deputy

Johannes Kaiser

This conduct cannot, under any circumstances, be tolerated. It must be met with the most severe consequence available: the removal of his parliamentary mandate.

Since the return to democracy, Chile has struggled—often slowly and painfully—to uncover the truth, deliver justice, and provide reparations to those persecuted, tortured, murdered, or disappeared during the Pinochet dictatorship. Now, more than 50 years after the 1973 coup, the wounds are still open: children who were kidnapped and sold to foreign families, missing bodies never recovered, and hundreds of families still waiting for justice.

Against this background, it is absolutely unacceptable that a sitting member of Congress would trivialize and even endorse those crimes by stating, shamelessly, that he would “undoubtedly support a military coup” under similar conditions. His comments, made during a televised interview, echo the very same threats that preceded one of the darkest chapters in our national history. This is not freedom of speech—it is an apology for political violence.

Kaiser has gone even further by suggesting the proscription of the Communist Party of Chile, citing alleged ties to armed groups. Such rhetoric brings us back to times of ideological persecution, systemic repression, and political exclusion. Chile has already lived through the consequences of this discourse—and the country is still trying to heal. How can someone entrusted with representing the people promote such dangerous ideas and face no consequences?

Human rights groups and lawyers file a protective action against Johannes Kaiser

Organizations such as the Association of Relatives of the Disappeared Detainees (AFDD) and the Association of Former Political Prisoners have filed a protection appeal with the Santiago Court of Appeals. Their goal is not only to curb the rise of denialism but also to defend the dignity and honor of those who have already suffered too much. As AFDD President Gaby Rivera said clearly: “No one can keep defiling the names of our comrades and loved ones. This outrage must be collectively condemned.”

We strongly support this initiative—but condemnation alone is not enough. The National Congress must act. Civil society must speak out. And the courts must rise to the occasion. If we allow hate speech and the glorification of crimes against humanity to come from the halls of Congress without consequence, we are dishonoring not only the victims’ memory but also the fragile democratic pact we have tried to build.

Stripping Johannes Kaiser of his congressional seat is not censorship. It is an ethical, legal, and moral imperative. It is a defense of democracy against those who seek to revive the machinery of hatred. It is an act of remembrance, of respect, and of justice.

Chile needs unity—but not one based on amnesia. It needs respect—but not for those who justify brutality. It needs democracy—but not to protect its internal enemies.

“Never again” must be more than just words. It must be a promise with consequences. And today, that promise means removing Johannes Kaiser from the Chilean National Congress.