Carlos Palacios is facing a legal situation in Chile that has had consequences for his planning with Boca Juniors. The player testified this Monday before the Anti-Narcotics Brigade of the Investigations Police, as a suspect, in a drug trafficking case that has kept his father-in-law, Sebastián Soto, in pretrial detention.
The investigation involves a Mercedes-Benz truck registered in the player's name, which is alleged to have been used to transport cocaine base paste. The vehicle was seized during the operations against Soto. The case involves seizures of illicit substances totaling more than 1,400 kilos.
Palacios's lawyer, Felipe Moraga, explained that the summons was related to the need to clarify the ownership of the vehicle. According to the defense, the player bought the truck through a loan and the trade-in of another vehicle as part of the payment.
After moving to Argentina to join Boca in 2025, he left it at a family property in Santiago. Moraga stated that Palacios was unaware that his father-in-law was using the vehicle and that he did not authorize its use.
He also clarified the player's legal status. "In the prosecutor's view, he is a suspect, but he has not been formally charged and is not subject to precautionary measures," the lawyer said.
The lawyer also explained why the player appeared in that capacity. "If you are summoned as a witness, you cannot exercise any right to remain silent," he said.
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Carlos Palacios is facing a judicial situation in Chile that has had consequences for his planning with Boca Juniors. The footballer testified this Monday before the Anti-Narcotics Brigade of the Investigative Police, as a suspect, in a drug trafficking case that has kept his father-in-law, Sebastián Soto, in preventive detention. The investigation involves a Mercedes-Benz pickup truck registered in the player's name, which would have been used to transport cocaine base paste. The vehicle was seized during the operations against Soto. The case involves seizures of illicit substances exceeding 1,400 kilos.
Palacios's lawyer, Felipe Moraga, explained that the summons was related to the need to clarify the ownership of the vehicle. According to the defense, the footballer bought the truck through a loan and the trade-in of another vehicle as part of the payment. After moving to Argentina to join Boca in 2025, he left it at a family property in Santiago. Moraga stated that Palacios was unaware that his father-in-law was using the vehicle and that he did not authorize its use.
He also clarified the player's situation. "For the prosecutor, he is a suspect, but he has not been formally charged, he is not subject to precautionary measures," the lawyer said. The lawyer also explained why the player appeared in that capacity. "If you are summoned as a witness, you cannot exercise any right to remain silent," he said. "For us it is completely irrelevant, suspect or witness. That said, if you want to say it, yes, he was summoned as a suspect," he added.
The player had traveled to Chile to attend the match between Colo Colo and Ñublense in Chillán. His presence in the country coincided with the summons from the Prosecutor's Office, so he had to change his flight back to Buenos Aires. On Monday he went to testify accompanied by Moraga and spent about two hours at PDI facilities.
The situation arose after Boca Juniors won the league title in Argentina, having finished in first place in the annual table. Palacios's appearance in Chile and the changes to his return would have caused difficulties in the club's planning. This was acknowledged by his lawyer, who pointed directly at the club's president. "It caused him many work problems. They just became champions in Argentina, they are happy, but the club's president, Juan Román Riquelme, obviously does not find this situation very pleasant," he revealed.
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