Marcelo was a MAPU Lautaro member and political prisoner for 11 years, two months and fifteen days from October 13, 1992 until December 28, 2003. Later, he was charged with taking part in the September 2007 Banco Santander robbery in Valparaíso and the October 2007 Banco Security robbery in Santiago during which repressive agent Luis Moyano died in a shootout while they were making their escape.