Sebastián Zamora

Sebastián Nicolás Zamora Soto (born 10 December 1997) is a Chilean uniformed police officer and politician. He was elected as a deputy of the Republic of Chile for the LVI legislative period of the National Congress of Chile.

Biography Early life and education He entered the Carabineros Training School, and after graduating joined the 40th Police Station of the Special Forces, in the Public Order Control Unit (COP).

Pío Nono Bridge case During the social uprising, Sebastián Zamora, then a corporal of Carabineros de Chile, was accused of causing the fall of a 16-year-old teenager from the Pío Nono Bridge into the Mapocho River during a police operation on 2 October 2020. The incident generated strong public outcry and prompted a formal investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office, led by Ximena Chong, who charged him with attempted homicide. Zamora was placed under precautionary measures while the investigation progressed, and his involvement became one of the emblematic cases of police use of force during the protests that began in 2019.

The judicial process extended for several years and included extensive expert reports, analysis of audiovisual recordings, and testimonies from witnesses and other police officers. During the oral trial, the defense argued that the corporal acted in compliance with his duties and that there was no conclusive evidence of intentional action aimed at pushing the protester.

In July 2024, the Fourth Oral Criminal Court of Santiago acquitted Zamora of all charges, ruling that the evidence presented did not establish criminal responsibility beyond a reasonable doubt. This ruling closed one of the most high-profile cases derived from the social uprising, and the former police officer fully regained his legal standing. In September of the same year, he was reinstated into the police institution to carry out administrative duties during the initial stage.

Political career After being separated from Carabineros due to the judicial process against him, Zamora grew closer to the Republican Party, where he began to develop a political career focused on issues of public safety and defense of law-enforcement agencies. Within the party, he aligned himself with young figures of the sector, notably forming a close relationship with deputy Chiara Barchiesi, with whom he shared activities and political positions.