Chile’s law enforcement forces will now be able to rely on the “presumption of lawful defense” under a new law that critics have dubbed the “easy trigger law” (Gatillo fácil), as the country’s parliament, where crime is on the rise, approved him yesterday Wednesday.

Last week’s killing of a carabinieri sergeant — Rita Olivares was shot as she got out of her squad car — hastened its adoption.

The text provides that for every military or police officer who uses his service weapon, the presumption of lawful defense will apply, which will not be lifted unless an investigation shows that he acted maliciously.

“The draft law states that when a police officer uses a weapon in lawful defense, or to defend a third party because his life is in danger, he will be deemed to have acted in accordance with professional rules, unless an investigation proves otherwise,” explained Interior Minister Carolina Toa.

“Police officers died so that this bill could see the light of day (…) Protect our police, give them more powers, give Chileans hope again,” said opposition MP Andres Longton, the bill’s rapporteur.

The original text of the bill, which during the debate was called a “easy trigger” law by those who opposed its provisions, was criticized by criminal law experts and the United Nations.

“It does not comply with international human rights law,” said Jan Yarab, the UN official responsible for human rights in Latin America.

A number of controversial provisions were removed during the debate in parliament, notably one which provided that police officers could use weapons if attacked by at least two unarmed people.

According to polls, crime is the main concern of Chilean citizens. The rise in crime in the Latin American country has prompted the government of President Gabriel Boric to announce a flurry of measures to tackle the phenomenon.

According to a public institution responsible for crime prevention, in 2022 homicides increased by 33.4% compared to last year. This was the second largest increase in this index in all of Latin America, behind only Ecuador (+80%).