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During his first State of the Nation address to Congress, President José Antonio Kast announced the creation of the Unified Registry of Vandals and Incivilities (RUV). The measure, presented as part of his public safety agenda, aims to implement a social deterrent for those who commit specific crimes, including attacks on police officers, healthcare workers, public transit interference, drug trafficking, and the destruction of national monuments.
Interior Minister and government spokesperson Claudio Alvarado explained on 24H’sEstado Nacionalthat the registry will function via a public database, similar to existing systems like the Registry of Disqualifications for Working with Minors or the Registry of Alimony Debtors. According to the minister, registration in the RUV will take effect once a final judicial sentence is handed down, allowing the public to access information regarding those convicted.
The initiative includes the forfeiture of state benefits for offenders, such as tuition-free education, the Universal Guaranteed Pension (PGU), and housing subsidies. Furthermore, the bill would restrict basic administrative procedures, such as renewing driver's licenses, obtaining passports, and transferring vehicle or property titles.
The proposal has sparked an intense political debate regarding its scope and potential socioeconomic bias. Socialist Senator Juan Luis Castro labeled the measure an "anti-social unrest vaccine," arguing that the executive is using the registry as a preemptive tool against potential future disturbances. Castro questioned the lack of technical clarity regarding which behaviors will be classified as public order offenses and how the penalties will be applied in practice.
In response to the criticism, Republican Party deputy and caucus leader Benjamín Moreno defended the proposal on CNN Chile’sTolerancia Cero, asserting that "it is neither classist nor anti-poor." When asked how the measure would affect high-income offenders—such as the case of youths who destroyed a fire hydrant in the affluent Vitacura district—Moreno stated he would have no issue exploring harsher penalties if current ones prove insufficient to achieve a deterrent effect in those sectors.
Meanwhile, Socialist Party deputy Daniel Manouchehri questioned the proposal’s effectiveness in combating actual crime. Manouchehri suggested including so-called "white-collar vandals" in the registry to address political corruption, arguing that the government’s current approach is insufficient and fails to address the root causes of criminality in the country.
