Subcomandante Marcos
26th August 2003, 22:02
In this topic I want to create a brief history of what Latin America has been and is now. First of all, Latin America has a very Nationalistic air. Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Brasil, Paraguay, Peru, Brasil, etc... have identites of their own, so to tell the history of the continent as a whole would be pointless.
That is why I want everyone that belongs to a South American country (or Central America since they also have suffered the yanki imperialism) to add a little about each of his/her country, including current situation, local parties, guerrillas, stadistics, or anything else if possible. Famous people, coups, reforms, assassinations, complots, social change, anything goes.
Lets try to keep it current and interesting, that way we can all learn along.
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Chile, my country is located in the suthern part of South America, to the West. It is long and thin. Its boundaries are: to the south the South Pole, to the north Peru and Bolivia and to the East the Andes and Argentina. We got our independence from Spain on September 18, 1810, by the hands of Bernardo O'higgins. A lot has happened since then, liberal presidents, revolts, everything. The independence war is an interesting chapter but is not relevant now, lets jump forward to the second half of the XX century.
After the Cuban Revolution, a world event, Chilen groups sarted to tajke notice of the social matter, and the rebellion started. First it was the MIR (Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionario, or Revolutionary Leftist Movement) that started an armed fight against the current Government of Jorge Alessandri, on this time the Agrarian Reform began, with a president belonging to the Right. On the next elections Salvador Allende Gossens entered representing his party, the Partido Socialista (Socialist Party, PS), but because of the las minute candidate, a religious person, he lost for about 3%
Allende was a real charm with the ladies, he won on the women tables (on Chile man and woman voted separately before) but then there was no second round, the first majority had to be rectified by the Senate, anyways, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle won and that is when the U.S. realized that Allende was a real threat and decided to intervene on national affairs.
For the next elections the Unidad Popular was created (Popular Unity, UP) and Allende was the candidate, there was a dense air since if Allende won, a declared Marxist, reforms would take place injuring the rich families controlling the country. By then the MIR was assaulting banks, commiting terrorist acts and taking land for the poor, Allende asked Andres Pascal Allende, his nephew and founder of the MIR, to stop this acts during election peroid to show that violence is not necessary.
There was a tense air during the reading of the votes, and when Allende was announced as first majority the Chilean Revolution started.
The army was a big part of the country, so their support meant a lot to the coming socialist government. That is why Schneider policy to obey any orders from the President of the Republic of Chile disgusted parts of the right that wanted the Senate to reject Allende and declare Alessandri, the runnerup, president, then resign and call elections again. Schneider was killed on a supposed kidnap and Carlos Prats assumed as Commander in Chief.
Allende needed the votes of the Democracia Cristiana (Christian Democracy, DC) in orer to be rectified as President, but this party, the most popular and "center", didnt want to support him for his Marxist beliefs, finnaly they acme to and agreement and Allende was rectified.
During the first year Allende fufiled all of the promises he did to the proletarian class during his campaign, minimal weages went up, they froze prices, improved working conditions, built schools for the poor and nationalized the copper indutry, the biggest resource on my country and the pilar of our economy.
The US was not very happy with this, first of all, How can a declared marxist arrive at the presidencial chair by popular election? what now? general sout american revolt? Current president, Sr. Nixon, made it his personal enterprise to crush, on his own words, the Chilen 'Red' Government. His strategy was to support the extreme right movement, such as the Patria y Libertad Movement and the Rolando Matus who were in charge on interrumping the normal development of life. Also he would create a shortage of essencial good such as gas, bread, cooking oil, flour, sugar, coffee, etc, and hence create an air perfect for a heroic intervension of the Army.
The second year, toward the second thir of the year was when the crisis began. There was too much many and nowhere to spend it, inflation was coming to the three digits and the sabotage had began. Massive protests organized by the Partido Nacional (National Party, PN) and the extreme groups were flooding the streets almost always ending with a fight between the two sector of the population, those with Allende and those against. Things were polarized, everything was about the left and the right, newspapers, TV, schools, the streets, everything was a ifht between if the Government was doing the right thing or was being illegal. This is when the JAP entered the scene, this groups that organized on poor marginal places were in charge of sitributing the few good that they could buy so everyone would get something to eat.
The last year was catastrophic, tings got to a point that eberyone was sacred of everyone, the Senate had voted that the Government had been incontitutional and Allende called a plebiscite to September of that year, 1973. This dramatic ending to the 100 day of the UP was due to a large opposition and help from the US and other countries such as Brazil that helped the Chilean Army, but also by the current Government uncapable of managing the situation that got out of hand, but no mistake in the world can entitle someone to take over the power for 17 years killing thousands.
On the night of September 10, the coup was ready, it all started at 5:00 am of the next day with the Nay on Valparaiso, then came Santiago and the assault to La Moneda, the State House. The tanks flooded the streets in front of the astonished eyes of tje civil population, Allende was suppose to open and art collection that day along with Victor Jara, but instead he had to stay on La Moneda defending his life and the whole country, his last speech on Magallanes Radio wa very emotive but then came tha tanks and the bombs droping from the blue sky. After the attack a junta took over power. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, Commander in Chief of the Army, Merino from the Navy, Stange from the Cops and Leigh from the Air Force.
After the death of Allende many of the survivors were killed right there and the other just disappeared. The fight went on on various points but finally the Army won. A month later a trascendental event occured, the 16 of october of 1973 General Stark lifts off from the Pudahel airport on a Puma helicopetr and starts the bloddy "Caravana de la Muerte", he started on several cities all along the chilean territory, after days about 70 people were killed.
Many happened during the Pinochet regime, many died and many more were tortured. Orlando Letelier was killed on Washington, Victor Jara was killed on the Estadio Nacional on September 16, 1973. People that had nothing to do with political issues were tortured and then dissappeared. On September 11, 1980 Pinchet called to a plebiscite on order to aporve or reject the new contitution and elect Pinochet President of the Republic for 8 years, of course, there was no electoral records since they were burned during the coup and Pinocher had no opposition and total control of the electoral machine. But this came to a halt on Ocotber 5, 1988.
At this date Pinochet, at the end of his 'legal' term called another plebiscite, the 'Yes' and 'No' plebiscite. Yes I want to keep this fascist government, No I want to change to another fascist government. Pinochet was sure he would win bu he came to the surprise that the No had won and he had to call popular elections. At this point it has now been known that he thought of paying no notice to the triumph and just keep governing, but due to the negative of the other three members (Leigh had been changed by Matthei since Leigh had said that the Governemtn should last only to 1980, for this he was removed).
Elections came and the DC candidate, Patricio Alwyn won and the transition began.
To make things short after Alwyn on 1994 Frei assumed (son of the first Frei) and then on the 2000 Lagos, our current president. All of them are member of the "Conertacion" (there is no word in English but is a group) of Parties for Democracy, a left Movement involving the DC, the PS and also the Partidos Por la Democracia (Parties For Democracy, PPD), and other movements.
This presidents have done little concerning the human rights issue, Alwyn established a Dialog Table between the Army and the relatives of the Dissappeared, this endend with the Rettig Inform, an inform where the Army stated where the bodies are and the names of the arrested. The places dont match and some of the bodies that are supposed to be under water were found on commun graves. The current president, and the pastm have done little for social reforms and the right candidate, Joaquin Lavin, came clsoe to winning on the 2000 and is sure to win now on 2006 because of the incapacity of the piliticians to rule in the right way.
That is why I want everyone that belongs to a South American country (or Central America since they also have suffered the yanki imperialism) to add a little about each of his/her country, including current situation, local parties, guerrillas, stadistics, or anything else if possible. Famous people, coups, reforms, assassinations, complots, social change, anything goes.
Lets try to keep it current and interesting, that way we can all learn along.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chile, my country is located in the suthern part of South America, to the West. It is long and thin. Its boundaries are: to the south the South Pole, to the north Peru and Bolivia and to the East the Andes and Argentina. We got our independence from Spain on September 18, 1810, by the hands of Bernardo O'higgins. A lot has happened since then, liberal presidents, revolts, everything. The independence war is an interesting chapter but is not relevant now, lets jump forward to the second half of the XX century.
After the Cuban Revolution, a world event, Chilen groups sarted to tajke notice of the social matter, and the rebellion started. First it was the MIR (Movimiento de Izquierda Revolucionario, or Revolutionary Leftist Movement) that started an armed fight against the current Government of Jorge Alessandri, on this time the Agrarian Reform began, with a president belonging to the Right. On the next elections Salvador Allende Gossens entered representing his party, the Partido Socialista (Socialist Party, PS), but because of the las minute candidate, a religious person, he lost for about 3%
Allende was a real charm with the ladies, he won on the women tables (on Chile man and woman voted separately before) but then there was no second round, the first majority had to be rectified by the Senate, anyways, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle won and that is when the U.S. realized that Allende was a real threat and decided to intervene on national affairs.
For the next elections the Unidad Popular was created (Popular Unity, UP) and Allende was the candidate, there was a dense air since if Allende won, a declared Marxist, reforms would take place injuring the rich families controlling the country. By then the MIR was assaulting banks, commiting terrorist acts and taking land for the poor, Allende asked Andres Pascal Allende, his nephew and founder of the MIR, to stop this acts during election peroid to show that violence is not necessary.
There was a tense air during the reading of the votes, and when Allende was announced as first majority the Chilean Revolution started.
The army was a big part of the country, so their support meant a lot to the coming socialist government. That is why Schneider policy to obey any orders from the President of the Republic of Chile disgusted parts of the right that wanted the Senate to reject Allende and declare Alessandri, the runnerup, president, then resign and call elections again. Schneider was killed on a supposed kidnap and Carlos Prats assumed as Commander in Chief.
Allende needed the votes of the Democracia Cristiana (Christian Democracy, DC) in orer to be rectified as President, but this party, the most popular and "center", didnt want to support him for his Marxist beliefs, finnaly they acme to and agreement and Allende was rectified.
During the first year Allende fufiled all of the promises he did to the proletarian class during his campaign, minimal weages went up, they froze prices, improved working conditions, built schools for the poor and nationalized the copper indutry, the biggest resource on my country and the pilar of our economy.
The US was not very happy with this, first of all, How can a declared marxist arrive at the presidencial chair by popular election? what now? general sout american revolt? Current president, Sr. Nixon, made it his personal enterprise to crush, on his own words, the Chilen 'Red' Government. His strategy was to support the extreme right movement, such as the Patria y Libertad Movement and the Rolando Matus who were in charge on interrumping the normal development of life. Also he would create a shortage of essencial good such as gas, bread, cooking oil, flour, sugar, coffee, etc, and hence create an air perfect for a heroic intervension of the Army.
The second year, toward the second thir of the year was when the crisis began. There was too much many and nowhere to spend it, inflation was coming to the three digits and the sabotage had began. Massive protests organized by the Partido Nacional (National Party, PN) and the extreme groups were flooding the streets almost always ending with a fight between the two sector of the population, those with Allende and those against. Things were polarized, everything was about the left and the right, newspapers, TV, schools, the streets, everything was a ifht between if the Government was doing the right thing or was being illegal. This is when the JAP entered the scene, this groups that organized on poor marginal places were in charge of sitributing the few good that they could buy so everyone would get something to eat.
The last year was catastrophic, tings got to a point that eberyone was sacred of everyone, the Senate had voted that the Government had been incontitutional and Allende called a plebiscite to September of that year, 1973. This dramatic ending to the 100 day of the UP was due to a large opposition and help from the US and other countries such as Brazil that helped the Chilean Army, but also by the current Government uncapable of managing the situation that got out of hand, but no mistake in the world can entitle someone to take over the power for 17 years killing thousands.
On the night of September 10, the coup was ready, it all started at 5:00 am of the next day with the Nay on Valparaiso, then came Santiago and the assault to La Moneda, the State House. The tanks flooded the streets in front of the astonished eyes of tje civil population, Allende was suppose to open and art collection that day along with Victor Jara, but instead he had to stay on La Moneda defending his life and the whole country, his last speech on Magallanes Radio wa very emotive but then came tha tanks and the bombs droping from the blue sky. After the attack a junta took over power. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, Commander in Chief of the Army, Merino from the Navy, Stange from the Cops and Leigh from the Air Force.
After the death of Allende many of the survivors were killed right there and the other just disappeared. The fight went on on various points but finally the Army won. A month later a trascendental event occured, the 16 of october of 1973 General Stark lifts off from the Pudahel airport on a Puma helicopetr and starts the bloddy "Caravana de la Muerte", he started on several cities all along the chilean territory, after days about 70 people were killed.
Many happened during the Pinochet regime, many died and many more were tortured. Orlando Letelier was killed on Washington, Victor Jara was killed on the Estadio Nacional on September 16, 1973. People that had nothing to do with political issues were tortured and then dissappeared. On September 11, 1980 Pinchet called to a plebiscite on order to aporve or reject the new contitution and elect Pinochet President of the Republic for 8 years, of course, there was no electoral records since they were burned during the coup and Pinocher had no opposition and total control of the electoral machine. But this came to a halt on Ocotber 5, 1988.
At this date Pinochet, at the end of his 'legal' term called another plebiscite, the 'Yes' and 'No' plebiscite. Yes I want to keep this fascist government, No I want to change to another fascist government. Pinochet was sure he would win bu he came to the surprise that the No had won and he had to call popular elections. At this point it has now been known that he thought of paying no notice to the triumph and just keep governing, but due to the negative of the other three members (Leigh had been changed by Matthei since Leigh had said that the Governemtn should last only to 1980, for this he was removed).
Elections came and the DC candidate, Patricio Alwyn won and the transition began.
To make things short after Alwyn on 1994 Frei assumed (son of the first Frei) and then on the 2000 Lagos, our current president. All of them are member of the "Conertacion" (there is no word in English but is a group) of Parties for Democracy, a left Movement involving the DC, the PS and also the Partidos Por la Democracia (Parties For Democracy, PPD), and other movements.
This presidents have done little concerning the human rights issue, Alwyn established a Dialog Table between the Army and the relatives of the Dissappeared, this endend with the Rettig Inform, an inform where the Army stated where the bodies are and the names of the arrested. The places dont match and some of the bodies that are supposed to be under water were found on commun graves. The current president, and the pastm have done little for social reforms and the right candidate, Joaquin Lavin, came clsoe to winning on the 2000 and is sure to win now on 2006 because of the incapacity of the piliticians to rule in the right way.