The Comptroller General of Chile has opened a disciplinary inquiry against the Mayor of Curicó, George Bordachar Sotomayor, following his visit to a casino in Antofagasta, which appears to breach a legal restriction banning certain public officials from accessing gaming venues.
The case has drawn reactions from within the Municipal Council, where members have moved to document their positions formally.
Council Member Edgardo Reyes said: "I submitted a formal request for information regarding the facts that have become publicly known. My intention is not to generate artificial controversy, but to defend something much more basic yet fundamental in public service, which is transparency." He added that authorities must be the first to set an example and act in strict accordance with the law.
Council Member Pilar Contardo drew a direct parallel with a recent internal dispute at the municipality, noting the inconsistency in the standards applied. She added: "It is news that undoubtedly has an impact, especially considering the current context we have been living in, regarding officials who, while on medical leave, have traveled abroad."
She announced she would file a separate submission with the Comptroller's office using the same publicly available evidence.
Council Member Francisco Sanz acknowledged that Bordachar had accepted the facts and placed himself at the disposal of the investigation, but emphasized the process must run its full course.
He added: "There is a law that prohibits certain authorities from going to casinos, and breaking that rule is not a good thing. The inquiry will have to ensure due process, hear the mayor's defense and then issue a sanction ranging from a fine to dismissal."
Lastly, Council Member Paulina Bravo pointed to the institutional damage the case generates. She added: "The municipality feels tense, a little confused, especially given the message delivered in 2025 regarding the various financial difficulties the municipality was going through. We were all aligned around savings and austerity, and then to learn about these situations through the media, trust is lost."
Chilean law explicitly bans certain categories of public officials from entering casinos, a restriction that applies across the country's regulated gaming venues regardless of geography.
