When Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, perhaps the nation’s most celebrated figure, died in 1973, the official cause was cancer. Butthere has long been suspicion that Neruda was murdered, and plenty of circumstantial evidence appeared to support the theory. Less than two weeks before his death, a military coup had toppled the leftist government. Neruda was a prominent ally of the government. Then, in 2011, his chauffeur alleged that Neruda was mysteriously injected in the stomach just before hisdeath. In 2013, Neruda’s body was exhumed under orders from a judge.
On Wednesday, after a decade-long investigation, a team of international forensic experts gave a Chilean judge their final report about theiranalysis of Neruda’s exhumed remains. So, was Neruda murdered? Their answer was not very satisfying: maybe.
The scientists found in Neruda’s body a potentially toxic type of bacteria that would not naturally occur there, and confirmed that it was in his system when he died, according to a summary of the report. But they could not distinguish whether it was a toxic strain, and they could not conclude whether he was injected with the bacteria or if, instead, it came from contaminated food.
Yet the scientists conceded that other circumstantial evidence supported the theory of murder, including that in 1981, the military dictatorship poisoned political prisoners with bacteria possibly similar to thestrain found in Neruda. The researchers also found in one of Neruda’s molars traces of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Some strains of that bacterium cause botulism, which can paralyse and kill people. But they were unsure whether it had seeped into his body after his burial, which can occur. Instead of providing clarity, the report showed that the murder mystery may never be solved. “If he had a toxic strain, how would it have gotten there?” said Charles Brenner, a forensic investigator who helped complete the report.
Paola Plaza, the judge overseeing the probe into Neruda’s death, received the report on Wednesday and said she would consider it as important evidence in the inquiry into whether Neruda was poisoned. Plaza could file murder charges if she finds that she has enough evidence.
On Wednesday, after a decade-long investigation, a team of international forensic experts gave a Chilean judge their final report about theiranalysis of Neruda’s exhumed remains. So, was Neruda murdered? Their answer was not very satisfying: maybe.
The scientists found in Neruda’s body a potentially toxic type of bacteria that would not naturally occur there, and confirmed that it was in his system when he died, according to a summary of the report. But they could not distinguish whether it was a toxic strain, and they could not conclude whether he was injected with the bacteria or if, instead, it came from contaminated food.
Yet the scientists conceded that other circumstantial evidence supported the theory of murder, including that in 1981, the military dictatorship poisoned political prisoners with bacteria possibly similar to thestrain found in Neruda. The researchers also found in one of Neruda’s molars traces of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Some strains of that bacterium cause botulism, which can paralyse and kill people. But they were unsure whether it had seeped into his body after his burial, which can occur. Instead of providing clarity, the report showed that the murder mystery may never be solved. “If he had a toxic strain, how would it have gotten there?” said Charles Brenner, a forensic investigator who helped complete the report.
Paola Plaza, the judge overseeing the probe into Neruda’s death, received the report on Wednesday and said she would consider it as important evidence in the inquiry into whether Neruda was poisoned. Plaza could file murder charges if she finds that she has enough evidence.