Senior Chilean lawmaker investigated over actions involving Chinese businessman
A high-ranking Chilean lawmaker is facing renewed scrutiny after records showed she helped arrange for a Chinese businessman to join an official parliamentary trip to China, where he coordinated logistics and took part in meetings with mainland authorities.
Messages revealed by investigators on Thursday showed Karol Cariola, a member of Chile's Communist Party and former president of the country's Chamber of Deputies, may have used her position to benefit a Chinese national on several occasions.
Prosecutors are now examining whether her actions amount to influence peddling, an allegation she denies. No formal charges have been filed.
The businessman, Bo Yang, does not hold public office.
But messages obtained by prosecutors and revealed by local media on Thursday showed that during a July 2024 trip to Beijing, he issued instructions to lawmakers, organised schedules and meals, and was present at formal events alongside Chinese officials.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric, speaks during his annual address at the National Congress building in Valparaiso on June 1, 2025. Boric has said the courts must be allowed to act independently in the investigation. Photo: Reuters
Investigators say Yang was included in the delegation at Cariola's request.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Xia Baolong holds 3-hour closed-door talks with Hong Kong business leaders
Beijing's top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs held a three-hour closed-door discussion with local tycoons and business leaders on the third day of his inspection trip to the city on Friday. Advertisement Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also visited Ocean Park in the afternoon before taking a boat trip to Lamma Island. The exchanges on Friday morning, held at the government headquarters in Admiralty, marked the first time since last November that Xia had direct talks with local business elites in Shenzhen. Tycoons at the meeting included Peter Lee Ka-kit, chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development; Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, chairman of Hopewell Holdings; Stephen Ng Tin-hoi, chairman and managing director of the Wharf Holdings; and Sonia Cheng Chi-man, executive director of New World Development. Wingco Lo Kam-wing, president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, and Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, were also among those seen streaming into the venue. Xia Baolong meets the city's tycoons and other business leaders at government headquarters. Photo: Handout Financial sector heavyweights, including Carlson Tong Ka-shing, chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, and Haywood Cheung Tak-hay, chairman of the Hong Kong Gold Exchange, also showed up.
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Senior Chilean lawmaker investigated over actions involving Chinese businessman
A high-ranking Chilean lawmaker is facing renewed scrutiny after records showed she helped arrange for a Chinese businessman to join an official parliamentary trip to China, where he coordinated logistics and took part in meetings with mainland authorities. Messages revealed by investigators on Thursday showed Karol Cariola, a member of Chile's Communist Party and former president of the country's Chamber of Deputies, may have used her position to benefit a Chinese national on several occasions. Prosecutors are now examining whether her actions amount to influence peddling, an allegation she denies. No formal charges have been filed. The businessman, Bo Yang, does not hold public office. But messages obtained by prosecutors and revealed by local media on Thursday showed that during a July 2024 trip to Beijing, he issued instructions to lawmakers, organised schedules and meals, and was present at formal events alongside Chinese officials. Chilean President Gabriel Boric, speaks during his annual address at the National Congress building in Valparaiso on June 1, 2025. Boric has said the courts must be allowed to act independently in the investigation. Photo: Reuters Investigators say Yang was included in the delegation at Cariola's request.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China-EU friction in spotlight, excessive dining austerity measures: SCMP daily highlights
Catch up on some of SCMP's biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing China's central bank is launching a new connect programme with Hong Kong to facilitate cross-border payments – Beijing's latest move to open up its financial sector and also leverage the southern financial centre to better connect with the rest of the world. Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen Decades of overinvestment and state subsidies in China, weak domestic consumption, an addiction to manufacturing, crashing corporate profits, zombie companies that the state does not let die and a superpower trade war have, the EU believes, created a perfect storm. Chinese and Philippine vessels have clashed again in the South China Sea, with Beijing saying its coastguard used a water cannon to expel a Philippine government vessel near Scarborough Shoal on Friday. China Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun said on Friday afternoon that Philippine vessel 3006 had 'ignored repeated warnings and insistently intruded' into Chinese waters near the strategic shoal.
