Kathmandu— In late October 2025, Armando Fernandez Larios, a 76-year-old Chilean national with a history as an intelligence operative under Augusto Pinochet, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Fort Myers, Florida. He was identified as being among the “worst of worst criminal aliens” due to his involvement in the 1976 car bomb assassination of former Chilean Defense Minister Orlando Letelier and his aide Ronni Karpen Moffitt. However, this March, Larios was released from jail after asserting a breach of contract stemming from a 1987 plea deal with US prosecutors, raising questions about justice and international accountability.

A History of Violence

Fernandez Larios played a key role in the assassination of Letelier, who had fled Chile following the 1973 coup that brought Pinochet to power. While the precise extent of his involvement remains debated – he has offered varying accounts over the years – evidence shows he conducted surveillance on Letelier prior to the bombing and provided logistical support for the operation. He was also a member of Pinochet’s ‘Caravan of Death,’ a military unit responsible for executing approximately 72 political dissidents following the coup, with multiple witnesses identifying him as one of its most ruthless members.

The 1987 Plea Deal

In 1985, Fernandez Larios began discussions with US authorities about providing information on Letelier’s assassination in exchange for leniency. This culminated in a 1987 plea deal where he admitted to being an accessory after the fact and received a light sentence, along with assurances that the US government would not seek his deportation to Chile or cooperate with any extradition requests. Despite polygraph tests indicating deception regarding his knowledge of the assassination plot, officials at the time prioritized perceived ‘foreign policy benefits’ over pursuing further charges.

Civil Suit and Uncollected Damages

In 1999, a civil suit was filed against Fernandez Larios in the US by the family of Winston Cabello, a victim of the Caravan of Death. The trial revealed harrowing testimony about his direct involvement in torture and executions, with one witness stating he personally slashed Cabello to death. The court found him liable for extrajudicial killings, torture, and crimes against humanity, awarding the family $4 million in damages – a sum that remains uncollected.

Recent Release Sparks Outrage

ICE’s decision to release Fernandez Larios earlier this year, after he invoked his 1987 plea deal, has drawn criticism. Despite being labeled one of the “worst of the worst” by Homeland Security, and remaining a target for prosecution in Chile, he is now reportedly living freely in Florida. While he hasn’t been granted a special visa protecting foreign informants from deportation, the US government opted to avoid a legal battle over the decades-old agreement.

Fernandez Larios remains at liberty in the United States, and a strong case for his deportation to a country other than Chile continues to be debated.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.