Independence and Pluralism Under Pressure: Lessons from the Chilean Case for National Human Rights Institutions

This paper examines the autonomy and composition of Chile's National Institute of Human Rights (INDH) within the framework of Law N.° 20 405 and the Paris Principles, which constitute the international standard for these institutions. It highlights tensions between the formal autonomy recognized by law and the dynamic policies that influence practice. Although the collegial design of the Council sought to ensure pluralism through the participation of the executive, legislative, academia, and civil society, experience has revealed problems of politicization, overrepresentation of actors, and criticisms regarding the body's impartiality. Finally, it emphasizes that the autonomy of the INDH cannot be understood solely as a legal attribute, but as a process that must be sustained in daily practice to guarantee credibility, democratic legitimacy, and capacity for advocacy.