You're assuming that post-merger, the court ruling of a court in just one of the 6 countries in which LATAM airlines has owned-and-operated airlines will be the deciding authority.

If LATAM believed it cannot join Star nor can TAM remain in Star, LATAM would come right out and say that.

Yes, that is the most likely case, and the plain-spanish interpretation of the Chilean Supreme Court ruling. But that in itself holds a world of assumptions within it. And it assumes status quo in the other airlines in the involved alliances, and those are likely to change between now and 1 year from now which is when according to that ruling, LAN and TAM must be in "at most one of their existing alliances."

Won't repeat all my arguments from the other thread. But you are dead wrong to present this as gospel truth. There are lawyers and money yet to be heard from, and one year before they have to be in one alliance. And it's only one country that is telling them that they must do so.