Episode 6: Chile "Defeat of a Dictator"

Episode six focuses on the nonviolent protest of General Augusto Pinochet and his terror regime in Chile. 

For 10 years, General Augusto Pinochet was the unchallenged leader of Chile. He came to power after a coup against elected government, which left the Chilean Socialist President dead. Pinochet promises a return to civilian rule, but their actions told another story. During the first months, the number of people detained in prisons reached more than 40,000 and more than 3,000 people were assassinated or disappeared all together. Pinochet's rule cast fear into everyone and every day life, and this led to control. People were too afraid to stand up to him. For 10 years, the fear kept the dictatorship in power.

By 1983, an economic crisis pushed unemployment to 30% and Chileans begin to feel that they have nothing left to lose. Opposition begins to become a possibility. The first sign came at the heart of the economy, in the copper mines of the Andes mountains. Rodolfo Seguel was voted President of the National Labor Congress and began to urge a nationwide strike. The goal was to open peoples eyes and let them know it was possible to overthrow the Dictatorship. A week before the strike was to begin, Pinochet's troops surrounded the copper mines. So, they changed their plan from a strike to a day of protest.

They only had four days to prepare. They gave instructions to citizens on how to protest, such as walking slowly, driving slowly, not taking kids to school, etc. Everything was running so slow that the city had to close down. At exactly 8pm on the day of the protest, Chileans flooded the streets banging their pots and pans. 

For the next nine or ten months, they would protest one day each month. Each one growing larger. Soon though, the protests turned violent. The government shot people and brutally repressed the people and tried to repress the movement.

Pinochet hires Sergio Jarpa as Interior Minister to begin discussions with protesters, but also deploys, on the same day, troops into the capital. When the protest begins, the troops end the protest with unprecedented force. Though the police statement says 17 people died, the actual number was much higher. The violence was too much, and the protesters knew that they needed to change their methods. Jarpa offers to hold the discussions that Pinochet promised, but Pinochet stops the discussions between Jarpa and the protesters.

In late November 1985, 500,000 attend the largest political rally in Chilean history. Gabriel Valdez speaks for 11 opposition groups and the Catholic church. The National Accord formed to lead a nonviolent transition to Democracy. Valdez warns that if they don't support the national accord, they are heading for civil war. In poor neighborhoods, however, the idea of violence is popular. The regime sees the poor neighborhoods as enemies.  Young men in the plablaceons are rounded up, questioned, hauled off to jail without trail, and many are not seen again.

The Church begins to join in and preaches nonviolent methods to end the disappearances and the violence. Monthly protests turn violent thanks to extremists, and Piochet is given an excuse to use extreme violence to come down on all opposition. Groups focused on nonviolence are greatly criticized for their use of nonviolent means by those who believe violence can only be met with violence.

Guerillas attack Pinochet's motorcade in 1986 and four guards are dead. Pinochet survives. He now believes he is invincible by being able to avoid assassination. Pinochet's own constitution requires a plebiscite in 1988, where Chileans had the right to vote for or against to another eight years of military government. His ego made him assume that he would always win, but after five years of organizing, the nonviolent opposition sees an opportunity. Opposition groups take to the countryside encouraging Chileans to vote against Pinochet. To create the appearance of a fair vote, Pinochet passes new voting laws that state that any opposition group that can gather 35,000 signatures will be allowed to have poll watchers and 15 minutes of television time every night for four weeks before voting.

"Led by Genaro Arriagada, the "Command for No" movement coordinates an army of volunteers to register voters and persuade fearful citizens to participate. Also crucial is an influx of foreign funds that pays for opinion polls, media consultants, poll watchers, and computers, which allow the opposition to conduct its own vote count and circumvent electoral fraud by the regime.
Despite relentless harassment against 'No' campaign operatives, on October 5, 1988, 55 percent of voters cast ballots to end Pinochet's reign of terror. Victorious, the "Command for No" movement evolves into a multiparty coalition that wins parliamentary elections the next year, completing the restoration of democracy in Chile after 15 authoritarian years."

CHILE TIMELINE:

September 11, 1973    Military junta comes to power in coup against elected government

May 11, 1983    First widespread public protests against Augusto Pinochet's regime.

August 1983    The government talks with members of the opposition and offers concessions.

September 1983    Monthly "days of protest" turn violent; middle-class support weakens.

September 7, 1986    Assassination attempt on President Pinochet fails.

October 5, 1988    Plebiscite ends in victory for those opposing a continuation of Pinochet's dictatorship.

photos courtesy of: aforcemorepowerful.org