Juan Maino

Juan Bosco Maino Canales (died 1976?) was a photographer, political activist, and opponent of Augusto Pinochet's regime in Chile. He was a leader in MAPU (Movimiento de Acción Popular Unitaria, or United Popular Action Movement). He was detained on May 26 1976 by DINA agents and "disappeared".

In 2005, Paul Schäfer, the former leader of Colonia Dignidad, was charged with involvement in his "disappearance" after two cars owned by Maino were found inside the German enclave.

Arrest and detention

Juan Bosco Maino Canales, single, Engineering graduate from the State Technical University, MAPU militant, was detained by DINA agents on May 26, 1976, around 10 PM, in the house of the married couple of Elizabeth Rekas Urra and Antonio Elizondo Ormaechea (both also detained and disappeared), at Los Presidentes street Nº143-B, apartament 2, in Ñuñoa, Santiago.

Juan Maino Canales was militant and dirigent of the MAPU Party (Movimiento de Acción Popular Unitaria), he was working on his thesis as Mechanical Engineering together with Antonio Elizondo, reason why he used to visit his house regularly.

His detention was made by at least three agents in one car, who remained at Elizondo´s house past 2.00 AM.

Days after his disappearence, his mother presented a solicitation of criminal investigation on the 8th Criminal Tribunal of Santiago, tribunal which refused to perform any investigation on the Elizondo´s house (in the former Chilean criminal investigation system the work of both prosecuting and judging were delivered in one person, the Criminal Judge).

Elizabeth de las Mercedes Rekas Urra, who was pregnant and her husband, Antonio Elizondo Ormaechea, had been detained that same day around 6:30 PM in the intersection of Alameda Avenue and Lord Cochrane street (Santiago´s downtown).

Two days before their arrest, on May 24, 1976, around 3 PM, had been detained Andrés Rekas Urra, brother of Elizabeth; by DINA agents. He was conducted in a FIAT, model 125, gray color, to a clandestine detention and torture facility known as Villa Grimaldi. He was interrogated about the "activities" of his sister and brother-in-law as well as Juan Maino´s. He was forced to recognized and identify his sister in a clandestine stake out and on May 26th he was able to hear his sister screaming at Villa Grimaldi.

Andrés was released that same day, since that date, any trace of Antonio Elizondo, Elizabeth Rekas and Juan Maino Canales have been lost.

External link

• Truth Commissions Digital Collection: Reports: Chile PART THREE, Chapter Two (A.2.c) 1974 through August 1977