Rodolfo Stange

General Rodolfo Stange Oelckers (born September 30, 1925) is a Chilean politician and former senator. He was a member of the Government Junta that ruled Chile during the dictatorship period from 1973 to 1990, representing the police force (Carabineros de Chile). He was elected Senator in 1998, finishing his term in 2005.

Rodolfo Stange

Stange was born in Puerto Montt, in southern Chile. He was the son of Osvaldo Stange and Ina Oelckers, of German ancestry. Because of his, he studied in the German Institute of Puerto Montt and later in the Liceo de Hombres. He joined the Military in 1945 and the Carabineros two years later. Thanks to a scholarship, Stange was able to continue his university studies in West Germany and upon his return he became a teacher of Police Sciences and Police Administration.

In 1970, Stange was named Administrative Chief of the School of Carabineros. Later, he was appointed the Coronel Director of the Superior Institute of Carabineros. In 1977, after the Chilean coup d'état, he became President of the Mining Company of Vallenar. During the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, Stange rose through the ranks until becoming General Subdirector of the police force in June 1982. When General Director César Mendoza Duran resigned on August 2, 1985, Stange was duly appointed to that post, serving ex officio as member of the military junta. Stange continued serving as general director after Pinochet's dictatorship ended in 1990.

After finishing his term as General Director of Carabineros in 1995, Stange dedicated himself to politics. he joined the Independent Democratic Union and in 1997 was elected to the 17th Senatorial Circunscription (South Los Lagos). While in the Senate, from 1998 to 2006, Stange initially participated in the Commission of the Environment and the Commission of Maritime Issues, Fishing, and Aquaculture. He later joined the Commission of Government, Decentralization and Regionalization, the Commission of Public Works, and the Special Commission of Security.

The general was accused of several human rights abuses, including obstruction of justice charges in the Caso Degollados and the murder of Julio Verne Acosta y Carlos Bezmalinovic, both members of the MIR, with the high ranks of the DIPOLCAR. Nevertheless, his involvement was never proven and was never convicted of any crime.