Hermes Eugenio Soto Isla (born 27 April 1962) is a retired Chilean police officer who served as General Director of Carabineros de Chile from March to December 2018.
He was appointed by President Sebastián Piñera following the resignation of Bruno Villalobos and was succeeded by Mario Rozas.
Early life and education Soto was born in San Felipe on 27 April 1962. The son of a member of Carabineros, he entered the institution at a young age and developed his entire professional career within the uniformed police force. Two of his brothers also served in Carabineros, one reaching the rank of major and another the rank of general.
He graduated from the Carabineros School and subsequently completed professional and specialised training within the institution.
Police career Soto spent more than three decades in Carabineros and held a series of operational and territorial commands. Among his assignments, he served as prefect of the Concepción No. 20 Prefecture and later as police attaché at the Chilean embassy in Argentina. He subsequently became prefect of the Coquimbo Prefecture, based in La Serena.
As a general officer, Soto commanded the II Carabineros Zone in the Antofagasta Region and later the VIII Zone in the Biobío Region. His career in Biobío included responsibilities associated with the police response following the earthquake of 27 February 2010.
He subsequently became head of the Metropolitan Zone of Carabineros, one of the institution's principal territorial commands. He held that position immediately before his appointment as General Director in March 2018.
General Director of Carabineros On 14 March 2018, President Sebastián Piñera appointed Soto as General Director of Carabineros, replacing Bruno Villalobos. At the time, Soto had completed 37 years of service in the institution.
His appointment came during a period of institutional crisis following controversies that had affected public confidence in Carabineros. The government tasked the new command with advancing an administrative, operational and technological modernisation of the institution and reforming its intelligence structures. Soto formally received the command baton and the Collar of the Grand Cross from President Piñera at a ceremony held at the Carabineros School on 29 March 2018.
During his tenure, Soto reorganised the senior command of Carabineros and oversaw the initial stages of the government's institutional modernisation programme.
In December 2018, following renewed controversy within the institution, President Piñera announced that he had requested Soto's resignation, stating that Carabineros required new leadership to address its institutional challenges. Soto was formally called into retirement on 21 December 2018 and was succeeded by General Director Mario Rozas.
His tenure lasted approximately nine months, making it one of the shortest periods served by a General Director of Carabineros in the institution's modern history.
References