Chile’s Biggest Mines and Copec Sue Over a Cybersecurity Label

Chile · Business

Key Facts

• Legal actionTwelve entities filed illegality claims against a resolution by Chile’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANCI).
• Named firmsThe Luksic group’s Minera Zaldívar, Minera Antucoya and Minera Centinela, plus Copec of the Angelini group and UC Christus, are among the filers.
• Agency moveANCI approved a second list of 239 vital operators, published in the Official Gazette on 24 July 2026.
• Business groupsThe Luksic and Angelini families control two of Chile’s largest conglomerates, spanning mining, energy, and retail.
• Company viewThe firms argue the process ignored their objections and that some should not be on the list at all.
• Sanctions riskBeing designated a vital operator brings cybersecurity duties and fines of up to 40,000 UTM, about US$ 3.1 million.

Twelve firms, including Luksic mines and Copec, challenge their designation as vital operators under Chile’s cybersecurity law.

Twelve Chilean companies have filed legal challenges against a government decision that labels them critical cyber infrastructure. The group includes three mines owned by the Luksic family and the fuel retailer Copec. Their target is a resolution from Chile’s National Cybersecurity Agency, known by its Spanish initials ANCI, which placed them on a list of vital operators. That list, published in the Official Gazette on 24 July 2026, names 239 entities across sectors like fuel, water, transport, and telecoms. The companies had 15 working days from that date to file their objections, and they did so just before the deadline.

What the label means

The designation comes from Chile’s Framework Law on Cybersecurity, passed in April 2024. Its core rules have been in force since March 2025, and they give ANCI broad powers to regulate and sanction private companies.

Being named a vital operator means your company sits inside what the law calls critical information infrastructure. That includes systems that, if knocked out, could hurt public safety, the economy, or national security.

Concretely, vital operators must report cyber incidents to ANCI and meet security standards set by the agency. ANCI can inspect your operations and fine you for failures, with penalties reaching 40,000 UTM, roughly US$ 3.1 million, for serious breaches.

For an investor, this label adds real compliance costs and legal exposure. It turns a private company into a regulated guardian of national digital safety.

Who is in court

The three Antofagasta Minerals mines — Zaldívar, Antucoya, and Centinela — went to the Santiago Court of Appeals. They are part of the Luksic group, one of Chile’s biggest business families, with interests in mining, banking, and beverages.

Copec, a fuel retailer in the Angelini group, also filed a claim after being added to the agency’s second list. UC Christus, which runs the Catholic University’s clinical hospital and the Clínica San Carlos de Apoquindo, filed as well.

The source, a Pulso article from La Tercera on 18 August 2026, identifies only these five entities. The other seven filers are not named in the report, so we cannot confirm who they are.

The Luksic and Angelini families are economic heavyweights in Chile, controlling vast swaths of mining, energy, and retail. Their fight over this label could shape how the law applies to all large firms.

The disputed resolution

ANCI issued a resolution approving the second stage of the vital operator list. That list names 239 entities in sectors like fuel, water, transport, electricity, telecoms, and digital infrastructure, as well as social security administrators and pharmaceutical research groups.

The resolution appeared in the Official Gazette on 24 July 2026. That same day, a 15-working-day clock started for companies to file their objections.

The twelve firms filed their claims within that window, with the news breaking on 18 August.

ANCI, when asked by Pulso, said the court challenges are part of the process created by the cybersecurity law. The agency noted that appeals allow institutions to make their case against being on the final list.

The companies argue their input during the consultation was ignored. They say several of them should not be on the list at all, and they are asking the courts to overturn the designation.

Arguments from the mines

Minera Zaldívar makes a specific point about an electric line it uses. The company says that line does not send power to the public and is not part of the national grid.

Zaldívar argues that its assets and services are not a public service. That means its infrastructure should not be labeled critical, the firm says.

The court process is just beginning, and no ruling has been made. The outcomes depend on how judges read the cybersecurity law and whether they accept the companies’ arguments about what counts as critical infrastructure.

For now, the companies remain on the list unless a court decides otherwise. That means they must comply with the rules while the cases move through the Santiago Court of Appeals.

Why this matters for investors

Chile is building a strict cybersecurity regime with real money at stake. Fines can reach 40,000 UTM, roughly US$ 3.1 million, for serious breaches.

Foreign owners of Chilean assets need to know if they are vital operators. The label changes how they run their digital systems and report problems, and it puts them under ANCI’s direct watch.

The fight shows that even the biggest groups are still learning what the law requires. Courts will fill gaps in how the list is made and challenged, and their decisions could affect hundreds of other firms in the next list.

Watch for the court rulings. They will set precedents for which companies count as critical and how much control agencies have over private firms.

That could reshape compliance costs across Chile’s economy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a vital operator in Chile?

A vital operator is a company that provides services considered essential to the country. Under the cybersecurity law, it must meet strict security rules and report incidents to the national agency.

Why are the companies challenging the label?

They say the process ignored their objections and that their operations are not public services. Being on the list adds compliance duties and risk of fines up to 40,000 UTM, about US$ 3.1 million.

Which firms are named in the court cases?

The confirmed names are Minera Zaldívar, Minera Antucoya, Minera Centinela from the Luksic group, Copec from the Angelini group, and UC Christus. The other seven filers are not identified in the source.

What happens next?

The claims are going through the Santiago Court of Appeals, and other courts may hear some cases. No rulings have been made yet. Companies must stay on the list until a court says otherwise.

Connected Coverage

Sources: latercera.com; biobiochile.cl; x.com; vlex.cl; publimetro.cl

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