Chilean Prosecutor’s Office requests 22 years in prison for Jorge Valdivia
The Chilean justice system has taken a decisive step in the legal process facing former soccer player Jorge Valdivia. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has formally requested a 22-year prison sentence for the former player, after concluding investigations related to reports of rape and sexual abuse filed during 2024.
According to the indictment filed by the Prosecutor’s Office, the sentencing request is divided into two parts: 12 years in prison for the crime of rape and an additional 10 years for charges of sexual abuse, both linked to complaints filed by two different women.
A legend of the “Golden Generation” under the microscope
Jorge Valdivia, 43, is remembered for having been a key piece in the so-called “Golden Generation” of Chilean soccer, a team that achieved historic milestones by winning the 2015 and 2016 Copa América tournaments. Throughout his professional career, the midfielder wore the jerseys of iconic institutions such as Colo Colo, Brazil’s Palmeiras, and Rayo Vallecano in Spain.
Following the start of the investigations, the former athlete served a period of 52 days in pretrial detention at the Rancagua penitentiary center. Currently, Valdivia is under a partial nighttime house arrest regime while the judicial process against him continues.
The former footballer’s defense team, led by lawyer Paula Vial, has expressed concern regarding the media exposure of the case. The attorney pointed out that the leaking of the accusation before official notification violates her client’s right to a defense and the presumption of innocence.
Jorge Valdivia’s defenseThe case remains under development and it is expected that in the upcoming procedural stages, the dates for the hearings will be defined, where the evidence presented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the defense’s arguments will be evaluated.
