Silva stated that they hope to discuss the possibility of imprisonment with Desbordes, adding: "The expansion of Santiago 1 should be seen as an improvement."

The Deputy Minister of Justice, Luis Silva, spoke this Monday morning with representatives from La Tercera, providing details about the work being done within the ministry two months after the current government took office. "I found a fairly organized ministry," Silva stated, acknowledging that the transition was less traumatic than he expected. On another note, Silva addressed the controversy between the Mayor of Santiago, Mario Desbordes, and the Minister of Justice, Fernando Rabat. The ongoing disagreements between the two officials stem from the mayor's intention to prevent the expansion of the Santiago 1 prison. "The expansion of Santiago 1 should be seen as an improvement, first and foremost, for the quality of life of the residents of Santiago. What we have now at the Pedro Montt facility could be considered a ticking time bomb, as the conditions in which inmates are held at Santiago 1 and the Penitentiary are not sustainable in the long term," the Deputy Minister warned. In that regard, the official defended the planned expansion of 1,600 spaces at the Santiago 1 prison, emphasizing that "it is not the construction of a new prison." "It is important to understand that this is not about bringing more people to the facility, but rather about redistributing those who are already there in better conditions, which will result in a safer environment, not a less safe one," he affirmed. The bidding guidelines will be sent to the Comptroller soon. Silva announced that the bidding guidelines for the project are about to be sent to the General Comptroller of the Republic, with the aim of having it completed by 2030, including 100,000 Units of Fomento (UF) in mitigation works. "I would like to invite Mayor Mario Desbordes to the inauguration of these works, which we will achieve through an agreement with the residents and the mayor. The mayor will be there, I assure you," the government official stated. He also addressed the mayor's intention to discuss the issue directly with President José Antonio Kast. "I don't know what the President will say, but I would have preferred to talk about it beforehand. The doors have always been open and will continue to be," he said. The Deputy Minister of Justice stated that he understands Desbordes' desire to defend the interests of his constituents, clarifying that he hopes to "change the perspective with which the problem is being viewed." "Honestly, I believe that the expansion of Santiago 1 represents an advantage for the residents of the Santiago municipality. It will be an improvement over what is there today, not a deterioration, and it will not bring more dangerous people," he guaranteed. According to the official, of the new spaces, one thousand will be for low-risk inmates, and the remaining six hundred will be distributed among maximum and high-risk inmates. "We must not lose sight of the fact that we have a national crisis here," the Deputy Minister pointed out, recalling that in 15 years, the only prison built was the Talca Penitentiary Complex, and that the prison population increased from 40,000 to 60,000 inmates during the government of Gabriel Boric. The Executive branch plans to have 20,000 new spaces by 2030.