MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Pinochet remains a strongly divisive figure in Chilean public opinion
Chilean Executive spokesperson Andrés Chadwick asserted the government’s impartiality toward Sunday’s screening of “Pinochet,” a documentary on Chile’s former dictator, amid calls from human rights organizations and local and national politicians for President Sebastian Piñera to intervene. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesPinochet a bad guy like Fujimori in Perú, but given the era he was in power, he did help Britain win Falklands War. Thats really no worse than how much bad guy Soviet Joseph Stalin helped Allies win WWII, and a lot of Chile cooperation probably because even-worse Argentine Military Junta was on war-path against Chile.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 12:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0For those who don't like Pinochet, rather than banning pro-Pinochet video like some Chilean activists want, why not just make anti-Pinochet video?
I'd like to hear from some of the Chilean commentators on this one.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 01:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0To prohibit the screening of a documentary film on Pinochet would be an infringement of the human right to free expression.
There is no doubt that Pinochet was a dictator and his regime was a cruel one, but he was the inventor of the modern economic state of Chile.
I think it is hard for non Chileans to understand the breadth of feeling about this person.
Simple, my enemies, enemy, is my friend. Not diffficult really, is it?
Jun 09th, 2012 - 02:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0TWIMC
Jun 09th, 2012 - 04:22 am - Link - Report abuse 0I agree with poster (1) on this one.
More focus should be put on Mr. Pinochet monies.
Justice has, until now, unearthed about ~30.000.000 U$S.
Thirty totally undeclared, unexplained and previously unknown million dollars.
Mister Pinochet was many things, all-right. Between others…………… , a common thief.
@4, @2, @1.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 08:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0Most people do not understand that Pinochet was an accidental figure in Chilean history. In fact he almost didn't figure in it at all. I'll explain.....
Firstly (full disclosure) my own position: It is clear and simple. I am a conservative constitutionalist.
All soldiers in the Chilean army swear an oath to the flag, irrespective of rank, to abide by the laws of the Republic.
Pinochet and his cohorts are technically traitors. But wait there's more.
Socialist Allende was elected president on 4/sep/1970 by the slimmest of margins (36.2 percent to 34.9), a minority government. He had no mandate, but was safe from a coup because of Chile's solid constitutional military hierarchy. R. Schneider was the commander in chief. A loyal and conservative hero. Unfortunately on Oct 22, 70 general R. Viaux and Gen Valenzuela two traitors on the CIA's payroll were paid to assassinate him. Enter General Carlos Prats. He is promoted to cmder in chief and later minister of defence, he's a solid constitutionalist. Allende is safe for the next 3 yrs. During this time the economy and the social fabric of Chile catastrophically deteriorated. Gen Prats faced mounting pressure to restore order, but refused as it was not his job to do so, he became a hated man. One day(27.Jun.73) in traffic on his way to the office he was confronted by a heckler, there was much abuse from the other car, Prats demanded an apology but none came. He got out his service pistol and fired some shots into the car, unhurt the driver turned out to be a short haired woman alexandrina Cox. Allende didn't accept his resignation. Two days later the 1st coup attempt. Enter Pinochet, Prats and him put down the mutiny quickly and Pinochet is eager to shoot the traitors He's a good guy.
Two months later after demonstrations outside his house, Prats resigns and Allende promotes Pinochet. BIG MISTAKE, 18 days later he carries out the Sep 11 coup, Allende is dead and so is my favorite singer Victor Jara.
Saludos.
The Chilean perspective (#)
Jun 09th, 2012 - 09:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0Another good take on this is “The Sovereign State”' by the late Anthony Sampson. It gives a very good background to the rise of Pinochet and his cronies. Of course the coup was given the OK by Dr Kissinger and President Nixon. There is also some information about the part played by ITT in the whole affair.
For movie goers I suggest you try to get hold of the film “Missing” with Cissy Spacek and Jack Lemon. This deals with the disappearance and murder of an American journalist, John Hormon, who stumbled upon the truth behind the coup.
But do not forget that the Cubans were strolling around Santiago before the coup. Perhaps there would have been another Cuba on the South American mainland had it not been for Pinochet and his pals.
Pinochet did many cruel things but he also left the country with good government.
Correct me if I am wrong.
Pinochet was very lucky and probably unaware that the Catholic university had been sending the best and brightest to the University of Chicago to study under the economics genius Milton Friedman.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 02:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0For the first two years 1973 - 1975 Pinochet's gov muddled around trying to find a path forward. In fact things were the same or worse than under the Socialist Allende in terms of unemployment, inflation etc.
It was only when he decided to hire the Chicago boys and let them work their magic that things began to change.
First the bitter medicine....Wholesale sell off of inefficient state enterprises, economic liberalization, balancing the state finances etc. the immediate result from this rebooting of the Chilean economy was very hard for the majority of the population. People living bellow the poverty line lifted to almost 50% and the GDP contracted severely. It was tough love indeed.
So the seeds were sown and after a tough decade going cold turkey Chile began to reap the rewards by the later part of the 80's.
The rest is history, we now have a solid foundation and have built an open competitive economy. We did the hard yards now the rest of the path to development won't be as arduous.
In conclusion, Pinochet was clueless and an economic illiterate, but he knew when to get out of the way to let experts run the things he knew nothing about, and that's all he ever needed to do.
As for the doco about him, well it's a free country and if you want to make a doco about him or anyone else for that matter, be it Che, fidel, Peron or Allende, I couldn't give a shit. I'll watch it because I'm curious, not because of any love I have for the old geezer. I still deeply believe that his coup detat was the most unnecessary thing that could have happened. Allende was NEVER EVER going to win the 1976 elections. 3000 people died because they held different political beliefs...fucking sad, now the commies are as much a part of the capitalist system as anyone else. What a waste.
Cheers.
Chile's history with Pinochet appears as complex as Perú's history with ex-President Alberto Fujimori, now serving several life-terms for killings, kidnappings and corruption.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 03:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0While Fujimori was justly incarcerated for his crimes, I think that one reason his daughter Keiko did as well as she did in 2011 run-off election against Ollanta Humala was that many Peruvians regard Alberto Fujimori as being an effective president in stabilizing the Peruvian economy and capturing the Shining Path leader Abimael Guzmán.
'The Chilean perspective' describes the situation rather well in 5 & 7.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 06:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0In mid 1973 the country was in complete disarray. Armed gangs attacked large farms and split them into small subsistence farming units, which did not produce the food needed in urban Chile. Food was very scarce in Santiago and other urban areas. People in the countryside sent or brought food to their relatives in the towns.
Pinochet was a very ambiguos character. One can say he did the right thing the wrong way.
Had he not been hellbent on torturing and butchering his opponents, but instead had sent them in internal exile on a well guarded island, provided with housing, food and clothes on par with the average Chileno, he would have been a national hero today.
I am sure Pinochet is burning in hell and enjoying this tribute video to Victor Jara not him.
Jun 09th, 2012 - 09:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGtCeyu9hxQ
& 6
Jun 10th, 2012 - 09:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0“” The Sovereign State ITT “” ? book ...i have it ... but full of distraction.
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& 5 ..... & 7
How old are you ?
Discussing Pinochet's role in Chile, and next door in Argentina, members of the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance are now being rounded up for murders attributed to them in early 1970s. However, it seems that anti-Pinochet terrorists may still be protected in Argentina, including Galvarino Apablaza, who participated in several highly publicized kidnappings and murders - but lucky for him, is married to a staff member of Cristina Kirchner.
Jun 10th, 2012 - 05:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Reference:
Galvarino Apablaza:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvarino_Apablaza
Argentine Anticommunist Alliance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvarino_Apablaza
Max, I am old enough. I did not say that the whole book is devoted to the Chilean saga. ITT wielded much power in those days.
Jun 10th, 2012 - 06:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0ITT was pro facist under its founder if I can remember correctly
& 12
Jun 10th, 2012 - 07:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Chile is not more clean country than Argentina !
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& 13
I am not certain of that S.Allende killed by the Chilean Army/CIA....
I doubt S.Allende and his team was backed by a Fraction of Argentine Peronists.
12 Juan N.
Jun 10th, 2012 - 09:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Should we believe Wikipedia, Pinochet supporters or the article below?
“Both police and court cases are resolved, and both Galvarino Apablaza was established that did not participate”
“Ambas causas están policial y judicialmente resueltas, y en ambas quedó establecido que Galvarino Apablaza no tuvo participación”
http://revista-zoom.com.ar/articulo245.html
The FPMR terrorist Galvarino Apablaza must be extradited to face the courts in Chile.
Jun 11th, 2012 - 12:20 am - Link - Report abuse 0CFK is refusing the extradition requests precisely because his wife is a high ranking member of the CFK admin. Shame on her. This scumbag (yes this at least is proven ) has to face the charges. If he beats the rap then deport him back to Argentina. Simple.
The Chilean perspective (#)
Jun 11th, 2012 - 02:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0CFK is a hypocrite of the first order. The Argentine government has had no hesitation in arresting former members of the military junta, trying them and then jailing them (if found guilty of human rights abuses).
On the other hand why does she adopt this attitude to it Galvarino Apablaza? I read what you have written. Her day will also come. The writing is on the wall. What goes around comes around - Karma!
15 Marcos Alejandro: Your 2004 Revista Zoom article on Apablaza was published before there was news that in September 2010, Supreme Court of Argentina actually authorized Apablaza's extradition back to Chile. In October 2010, Chile presented Argentina with request to reconsider the asylum granted, and more recently in December 2011, Chile's foreign minister Moreno was quoted as expecting to get Apablaza back for trial.
Jun 11th, 2012 - 03:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0Reference: http://goo.gl/PVng0
As a 60 years old Chilean I have lived the real state of thing along the Unidad Popular Gvt. and Armed Forces Gvt. from 1970 and on....First of all, the first to brake the human rights were the lefitst extremist under the Salvador Allende blanket helped by more than 10.000 foreing, mainly cubans, extremist that have destryed the Chilean society with their armed gangs assaulting, hurting and killing those that oppose them......while the Gvt. officers were destroying the economy and the legal system leading the country to a bankruptcy. Families were divided because ones members were from side and others from the other thanks to the leftist parties supporting the Gvt. that assume the social classes fight as the way to rule the country.....The Republic General Controller denied to sign all the Gvt. Decrees that trying to confiscate factories, commerce and farms but them took them anyway...The President of the Senate, Mr. Patricio Aylwyn declared the Gvt. illegal because that behaviour and ask it to resign.....Allende was preparinf a self coup to fix a marxist-leninist totalitary Gvt. supported by the guerrilleros that Fidel had sent him to lead the change....
Jun 11th, 2012 - 05:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0Civilians asked on the streets for the military to take over the power to stop this almost civil war....After the 1973 coup and up to the return to the whole democracy the guerrilleros have continued commiting assaults and murders, even of a Senator on 1991, when Mr. Aylwyn was at the Office, by a gang leaded by Galvarino Apablaza. Most of the died from 1973 on were extremist not nurses'childrn and a lot of military personnel working to keep the country in peace. Allende was a coward that killed himself to avoid to face his responsability for his acts that meant the destruction of a whole country and it inhabitants......Almost 40 years later the Allende followers keep showing their intolerance to the others to think different and express it as today we have seen on TV news....That's the real truth.... Viva Chile...
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