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Jaime Yovanovic Prieto decided to turn himself over to the Chilean legal system to prove his innocence, said his lawyer Alberto Espinoza last night.
20 years after the assassination of the intendente [mayor] of Santiago, General Carol Urzua, Jaime Yovanovic Prieto returned last night, one of the Mirists accused of being one of the main perpetrators in the attack against the entourage of the regional chief and his escorts Jose Domingo Aguayo and Carlos Riveros.
Yovanovic, 55, professor of law, was living in Johannesburg, South Africa after having been expelled from Italy last August. His relatives and lawyer Alberto Espinoza were waiting for him in the Arturo Merino Benitez airport. Mr. Espinoza said that his client returned voluntarily to turn himself over to the Chilean legal system in order to prove his innocence in the events of August 30, 1983.
“He was free in South Africa and as long as he was abroad he had the status of a free citizen, but there is an order from the military prosecutor for his capture and he will be detained as soon as he steps foot on Chilean soil” said Mr. Espinoza. That occurred at 11:25 PM last night, as soon as he stepped off the Varig flight.
He explained that some days ago Yovanovic came before the Chilean
Consulate in Pretoria saying that he wanted to turn himself in.
[Investigations] sent a detective to accompany him on his return.
Last year the government of Chile requested the extradition of Yovanovic from South Africa, but the Ministry of Government of that country rejected the request because according to them the assassination had political motives.
My client absolutely denies any participation in the assassination of General Urzua. He has the legal right to the assumption of innocence. He has never made a statement before a Chilean tribunal, therefore any precedents that the military prosecutor might have must be very precarious, explained Espinoza who believes that Yovanovic will be favored by the [statute of limitations].
