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Southern Cone Politics

Southern Cone Politics. Dirty War. Lasting legacy on Argentine society Silent; secret; unknown for many years Began before the military dictatorship by junta Under National Reorganization Process : Kidnapping, torture, murder were legal For purpose of restraining subversives

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Southern Cone Politics

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  1. Southern Cone Politics

  2. Dirty War • Lasting legacy on Argentine society • Silent; secret; unknown for many years • Began before the military dictatorship by junta • Under National Reorganization Process: • Kidnapping, torture, murder were legal • For purpose of restraining subversives Ideological war: • asked citizens to give up individual rights to “cleanse” the country of subversives and achieve peace for “God and country” • steady propaganda campaign: enemy is unknown; enemy is among you

  3. 350 detention centers • Size: 30 – 1500 prisoners • Abducted day or night; family members beaten; children kidnapped • Local police assisted • Used psychology of fear

  4. Operation Charly • Junta shared methods of repression and torture with governments/groups in Central America • Encouraged by US • 1977-1984; covert

  5. In detention…. Blindfolded Nicknames Tortured Sexually abused Burned with cattle prods Hitler’s speeches broadcast Many died and were buried in mass graves Many were drugged, transported in planes, and dropped over ocean alive Many disappeared: no records

  6. Los desaparecidos • 30,000 in Argentina in 7 yrs • Not including those released • Families desperately searched • 400 babies born in captivity • 88 found true identities (as of 2008)

  7. Madres y Abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo Began in hope that children would be released Met in secret; learned of enormity of situation Meet in Plaza de Mayo on Thursdays

  8. Falklands/Malvinas • Battle with British for control; lost to British in 1982 • Final test of the dictatorship • RaúlAlfonsin came to power in December 1983 • 3 days after election, passed Decree #158: • Legal proceedings against 9 military officials of 3 of 4 military juntas • (4th junta had passed a self-amnesty law)

  9. Alfonsin • 1983 Created CONADEP: National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons • Investigate human rights violations during dictatorship • Released report 1984 (NuncaMás): • 458 assassinations; 600 disappeared • Trial of junta • Life imprisonment of 9 members of junta

  10. Alfonsin also felt pressure to pacify military 1. 1986 Ley de Punto Final (Full Stop Law) • Mandated end of investigation & prosecution for those facing charges for political violence under dictatorship up to 1983 2. 1987 Ley de ObedenciaDebida (Law of Due Obedience) officers cannot be punished for political violence during dictatorship because they were following orders

  11. Carlos Ménem1989 • Pardoned officers who had been indicted • Human rights groups sought justice, testimony from victims, loopholes in law • Mid-level officers began confessing to atrocities • Pressure from Madres & civil society for “truth trials” • Courts had right to subpoena and investigate but not to convict • International pressure • 1999 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights settled with Argentina to guarantee “right to truth by obtaining clarification of what happened to disappeared persons”

  12. Full Stop Law and Law of Due Obedience did not pertain to baby theft • Ménem created National Commission for Right to Identify 1992 • Some military generals (e.g. Videla)were found guilty of kidnapping babies • Spent 1 month in jail; released to house arrest for health reasons • Other countries (Italy, Spain) called for extradition of military junta members so they could be tried abroad • President Fernando de la Rúa signed Decree 1581 • Argentina refused to allow Argentines to stand trial in other countries

  13. Full Stop and Due Obedience Laws were found unconstitutional by Supreme Court 2005 • 2006 cases were reopened • Those previously pardoned could not be retried • 1 early case led to calling dictatorship’s actions “genocide” • Earlier pardons were therefore unconstitutional • 2007 Argentine federal court struck down Ménem’s pardons and reinstated human rights abuse allegations

  14. Civil society has been rallying factor in this struggle for justice • Change has been made due to their fight and pressure • ProyectoDesaparecidos(Project Disappeared) • Several human rights organizations “with the purpose of recovering and maintaining memory, understanding what happened in Argentina during the dirty war and fighting against impunity” • Monuments to remember the dead • Monument of the Victims of State Terrorism • Began in 1999 with 1 stone

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  17. Chile • Civil war 1891 (8 months) • 1925 democracy; new constitution • Universal suffrage for presidential elections Separation of church and state Mandatory primary education Economic depression 1929 economic hardship another civil war

  18. Late ‘30s: end of civil war • “Radical Party” rule • Coalition of political groups • 3 presidents 1938-1952 • Relative stability • Salvador Allende • Founded Chile’s Socialist Party 1933 • Had lost presidential elections 1952, 1958, 1964

  19. Eduardo Frei • Won 1964 election • Rising inflation and unemployment; social unrest • Nationalized mining • Agrarian reform • Allende won election 1970 by narrow margin • Instituted radical left-wing reform • To pacify army, elected generals to cabinet, including Augusto Pinochet • 2 weeks later (Sept 11): Pinochet led coup, Allende was murdered

  20. Prior to coup Horrible inflation (238%) Large black market Strikes Food lines Political polarization between left and right

  21. Dictatorship 1973-1989 • Pinochet • State-sponsored terror for national security and to protect against “communist threat” • Abducted, tortured, disappeared subversives • Economy improved • New constitution in 1980 gave Pinochet 8 more years

  22. In first hours of dictatorship, 1000s were rounded up and placed in a stadium • Many tortured • Transferred to National Stadium • Sent to concentration camps/detention centers • Anyone perceived as threat to new power was “the enemy” • Sept 12, 1973: Decree Law #5: an internal war • National Security doctrine: enemy within • Military announced a “state of siege” • Legal cases handled through military courts rather than civil courts • Killing and repression were justified by this “security” situation

  23. In <4 mos 1973: 250,000 arrested and held in custody Arbitrary arrest Imprisonment Torture Disappearances Execution; group executions No right to appeal War Council sentences Murder Exile Abduction Intimidation Surveillance Death without trial

  24. 1975 • Decree Law # 521: DINA Secret Police • Later called CNI Secret Police • Operation Colombo: disappearance of subversives • Military shut down Constitutional tribunal, National Congress, dissolved political parties, burned voting lists, terminated power of mayors and city councilors

  25. Many Human Rights Groups condemned the actions of the military • Openly protested in 1980’s: increased repression • 1989 election: Patricio Aylwin • Christian Democrat • Still had military to deal with; Junta did not go out in disgrace in Chile as they had in Argentina

  26. Pinochet had passed amnesty law 1978 • Exempted military from prosecution for torture and murder • Had also made himself and 8 others senators for life 1980 constitution • Pinochet remained Commander in Chief of Army until 1998 • Amnesty case went to Supreme Court 1990 • Was upheld by Court • Supreme Court did not reverse any rulings regarding amnesty law until 1997 • Reopened a case involving 2 individuals

  27. Stuck by amnesty law, Alwyn took other measures: • Offered reparations • Ratified human rights treaties • Brought to trial a few cases not covered by amnesty law • Documented human rights abuses • National Truth and Reconciliation Commission • Fact-finding only; no legal authority: 2025 murders, disappearances; 90 killed by civilians; 164 killed by political violence • (human rights organizations had much higher numbers) • Offered public apologies to families

  28. Commemorations Ceremony in National Stadium Helped to hold funeral for Allende (17 years after death) Memorial wall Peace Park in Villa Grimaldi

  29. 1996 report of National Corporation for Reparations and Reconciliation • Death toll 3197 • President Frei 1994 • Strong hatred between military and civilian governments • Hundreds of trials under way • Judicial reforms: decreased military’s power in government • 1998 Pinochet retired as Commander in Chief; still Senator for Life

  30. 1998 • Pinochet trip to England for medical treatment • Arrested by Spain for murder of Spanish citizens in Chile • Under house arrest until 2000 • Released by Britain for medical reasons • Returned to Chile; granted immunity • Judge Guzmánbegan legal proceedings against him: battle ensued about his medical ability to stand trial • Finally lost his immunity in 2004

  31. Lagos President 2000-2006 • Valech report: • Heard 38,000 testimonies; proved 28,000 legitimate: monthly pension and benefits to victims and families • Discovered Pinochet’s international bank accounts: house arrest • Pinochet died in Dec 2006: never convicted

  32. Michelle Bachelet She and her mother were tortured at Villa Grimaldi 1975 Her father was tortured and died1974

  33. US involvement Declassified documents: CIA supported Pinochet; involved in coup against Allende Kissinger gave full support to Dirty War in Argentina Gave military aid to dictatorships

  34. Current Presidents: • Argentina: Cristina Fernández de Kirchner • Chile: SebastiánPiñera

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