Disappearance of woman in police headquarters in Ecuador unleashes clashes between authorities and rejection of the population

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(CNN Spanish) --

The disappearance of the lawyer María Belén Bernal in the Higher Police School located on the outskirts of Quito sparked a verbal confrontation between authorities and representatives of security institutions and generated the rejection of a sector of the population that demands justice for the deed.

The Ecuadorian Police reported Bernal missing on September 11.

The State Attorney General's Office reported that it has known about the case since September 13, based on the complaint by Police Lieutenant Germán Cáceres, Bernal's husband and whom the Attorney General's Office now considers a suspect.

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CNN is trying to locate Cáceres's family or his attorney.

Cáceres had a surveillance request arranged by the Prosecutor's Office in the preliminary investigation process for the disappearance of María Belén Bernal.

So far it is not known if the notification of the process was sent to a defender of the suspect.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso tweeted this Thursday that he ordered to reinforce the search for Bernal and offer a reward of US $ 20,000 to anyone who delivers information on the whereabouts of the person responsible for his disappearance.

"The Ministry of the Interior, the National Police of Ecuador and the specialized units will not rest until they find the location of María and the culprits," added the president.

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The Minister of the Interior, Patricio Carrillo, reported that the last time Bernal was seen was when he entered the Superior Police School located on the outskirts of Quito, one of the largest and most important police training detachments in Ecuador.

In statements to Teleamazonas this Thursday, Minister Carrillo reported that Bernal's husband gave his version to justice and then no more was heard from him:

“We are looking for as much information as possible.

The subject was submitted to the administration of justice, he rendered his version.

In the version he did not merit, according to the Prosecutor's Office, any initial precautionary measure, but so far he is also a fugitive from justice.

We have carried out a search block to locate him and locate the disappeared person," reported Carrillo, despite the fact that the Prosecutor's Office insisted that the day the suspect gave his version, his surveillance and follow-up was requested, considering that there were "inconsistencies ” in his statement.

The Secretary of Security, Diego Ordóñez, reported this Friday that there is an arrest warrant against Lieutenant Germán Cáceres and that the director of the Higher Police School has been dismissed by order of President Guillermo Lasso.

Regarding the movements of Bernal and Cáceres in the Police School, the Minister of the Interior Patricio Carrillo indicated that there is a record of the entry of the disappeared woman but not of her departure and mentioned that there were omissions in the investigation.

“There is a record that Dr. María Belén Bernal entered the Superior Police School, there is no record of her leaving.

There is a record of a vehicle driven by the police officer, her husband, with tinted windows which they did not check and they did not notice if he left or did not leave, "revealed Carrillo.

Suspension of activities and exhaustive search in Police School

This Thursday, activities were suspended at the Higher Police School so that a "search and search" could be carried out inside and outside its facilities, the Ministry of the Interior reported in a statement.

Several specialized units of the Police participated in these skills.

The Vice Minister of Internal Security, Freddy Ramos, reported that several investigation teams were activated.

“There will be zero impunity and total openness for investigation.

We will provide the necessary resources to clarify the facts,” Ramos pointed out.

Meanwhile, the general commander of the National Police, Fausto Salinas, said that the policeman suspected of Bernal's disappearance has not shown up for work for three days and that a dismissal process has been initiated.

He added that the Ministry of the Interior and the Directorate of the Higher Police School will present a complaint to add it to the investigation.

“The Police will not forgive any bad element that violates the law.

Our interest is to clarify and know the truth, we ratify the spirit of transparency.

If there is guilt, he will have to pay in court, we are not going to cover any police officer who violates the law and fails to fulfill his duty,” General Salinas insisted in statements to the media.

The official indicated that during the skills carried out this Thursday in the facilities of the Police School, a purse and a sandal were found, presumably belonging to Bernal.

"These elements are already in chain of custody and will be put to order of the Prosecutor's Office so that it increases clarity about this investigation," added Salinas.

Attorney General contradicts the Ministry of the Interior

Through a statement, the State Attorney General's Office questioned that the Ministry of the Interior ensures that the Prosecutor's Office did not consider the surveillance of the suspect in Bernal's disappearance:

“Immediately after the version given by the victim's husband and with the respective court order, the Prosecutor's Office ordered the pertinent instance of the National Police to monitor and monitor the now suspect, while the investigative proceedings continue.

However, so far this institution has not received any official information on the whereabouts of the aforementioned citizen, "says the statement from the Prosecutor's Office.

The attorney general of Ecuador, Diana Salazar, said this Thursday at a press conference that the way in which the case is being addressed by the National Police is unfortunate because so far the institution has not submitted an official report of what happened within Police High School.

CNN contacted the Communication Department of ESPOL to find out if they sent an official report to the Prosecutor's Office, but so far there has been no response.

“I have warned the Minister of the Interior, Patricio Carrillo, that this person must appear.

A woman cannot disappear in a police station.

Law enforcement officers have a state obligation to find people, not to disappear them, and even less so in a regiment that is absolutely controlled by these state agents,” emphasized prosecutor Salazar.

He added that the Prosecutor's Office has carried out 28 proceedings in recent days in this case, but that concern is growing due to another factor.

“We know that they have lost control of the follow-up and surveillance of the now suspect, that is not a responsibility of the Prosecutor's Office but rather of the National Police.

The one who executes the follow-up is the Police, ”he specified.

Bernal's mother begs for her daughter to be returned

Speaking to the media outside the Police School, Elizabeth Otavalo, mother of María Belén, begged the authorities to speed up the search for her daughter and demanded that they return her.

“Police, give me back my daughter, it's about time, it's been four days and they haven't returned me, I want answers.

I don't know who else I have to ask.

Mr. President (Lasso) I make a call to you, help me please.

I want to know why the School does not return my daughter to me, my daughter must be somewhere.

They gave Germán Cáceres a chance to go free, they gave him the opportunity to leave, and more than a hypothesis, I don't know what else to think,” Otavalo said.

CNN contacted Galo Quiñonez, a lawyer for Bernal's family, who indicated that skills are still being developed at the Superior Police School, where the family is keeping a vigil.

Earlier, Quiñonez told local media that the State has to respond in this case and demanded transparency:

“Let's not let it cover up or become esprit de corps.

The State could and will be responsible for any omission or concealment of either evidence or the truth.

María Belén Bernal entered the Police School and she has not left there.

We request more promptness and veracity in all the skills and procedures that the Police itself is carrying out,” said Quiñonez.

In social networks and in the streets, reactions of rejection and repudiation of the actions surrounding the case of María Belén Bernal have been generated.

Especially after the statement by the Minister of the Interior, Patricio Carrillo, who described the case of the disappearance of lawyer Bernal as a "human act", in his statements to Teleamazonas:

“We are very sorry that this act has happened, which is human, irrational, but it is human and in general terms we are working together with the family so that all available information is delivered transparently,” Carrillo emphasized.

Prosecutor Salazar criticized the minister's statements and said that there is no justification for any irregular action by police members.

"It's not about coming to justify the action or inaction of subordinates, here it's about getting to the truth," Salazar replied.

One detained for investigations so far

The Attorney General's Office reported this Friday that it carried out a raid in the area of ​​the female platoon of the Higher Police School in Quito to execute an arrest warrant for investigative purposes of a cadet from the School.

The Secretary of Security, Diego Ordóñez, said that she will be investigated to determine if she had any participation in the disappearance of lawyer Bernal.

“The corresponding search blocks have been articulated and we have put the best men to support.

We are working jointly with the Prosecutor's Office, more diligence has been completed today.

We are establishing the timeline to clarify the facts, it seems inappropriate for the Prosecutor's Office to use the circumstance to discredit the institution”, Ordóñez pointed out.