According to the official version of the time, Neruda —an opponent of the dictatorship— died in a clinic in Santiago as a result of prostate cancer. But in October 2017, a group of 16 experts confirmed that he did not die of cancer, although they could not determine his exact cause of death.
An investigation was then started on a toxin, the clostridium botulinum, which was found in the remains of the poet. This bacillus is responsible for botulism.
This bacterium is usually found in the ground, but experts from Canada’s McMaster University and the University of Copenhagen concluded in the report to be officially presented this Wednesday that the bacterium “did not leak into Neruda’s corpse from within.” or around his coffin”, but that he already had it before he died, according to information from the EFE news agency.
“We now know that the clostridium botulinum it would not have to have been in Neruda’s skeleton. What does this mean? That Neruda was assassinated, there was intervention in 1973 by state agents,” Rodolfo Reyes, the poet’s nephew, told the EFE news agency.
There is still no information about how and by whom the botulinum toxin was introduced into the author’s body.
“It is necessary to see if there are actually those responsible for this intervention, that is, if there are third parties. If these third parties can indeed be located, then the decisions that relate to their responsibilities will have to be made,” Mario Carroza, national rights coordinating judge humans, after the start of the last round of work by the experts, on January 24.
The specialists plan to conclude the investigations on March 7, when they will deliver the final report to Judge Paola Plaza, who heads the investigation and will decide the steps to follow after completing this stage.