An Australian court has approved the extradition of Adriana Rivas, a former secretary linked to Chile’s secret police during the Augusto Pinochet era, marking a significant development in long-running efforts to pursue accountability for alleged human rights abuses.

Rivas, who had been living in Sydney and working as a nanny in the Bondi area, is accused by Chilean authorities of participating in the disappearance and murder of several political opponents in the 1970s.

Prosecutors allege she was part of a network connected to the Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional, the intelligence agency central to the military government’s security operations.

She has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that she held only an administrative role and had no involvement in violent acts.

Her legal team argued that the case against her was based on contested testimony and that she would not receive a fair trial if returned to Chile.

Despite these claims, Australian authorities determined that the legal threshold for extradition had been met, allowing the process to proceed after years of appeals and judicial review.

The decision follows sustained diplomatic and legal cooperation between the two countries, reflecting Chile’s ongoing efforts to address unresolved cases from that period.

The case has drawn international attention due to the passage of time and the complexity of prosecuting alleged crimes committed decades ago.

Supporters of the extradition have described it as an important step toward justice for families of the disappeared, while Rivas’s defense has continued to characterize the proceedings as flawed and politically driven.

Rivas is expected to be transferred to Chile in the coming weeks, where she will face trial under the country’s legal system.