Pinochet: Chile's Most Infamous Historical Character

When you study Spanish in Chile, you will definitely hear many references to Augusto Pinochet

. It is a good idea to learn about this controversial leader ahead of time, so you won't end up feeling ignorant about the country's recent history. There is no doubt that you will be able to get much more out of the time you spend learning Spanish in Santiago if you have a good foundation in the country's political history.

Pinochet was a leader in the Chilean army who led a coup d'etat in 1973. The socialist government that was in power at that time was overthrown. At first, many people were happy about this overthrow because the country's Marxist government had reduced the economy to shambles. However, once Pinochet came into power in 1973, he remained in control for a very long time. During his rule, Pinochet went so far as to ban political parties and get rid of the Constitution. Additionally, he imposed censorship on the press and banned unions.

In 1990, Pinochet ended up relinquishing power and allowed a democratically elected President to take office. However, even after giving up leadership of the country, Pinochet continued as Commander in Chief of the Army until 1998. Through this post, he maintained a great deal of influence over the country's government.

The Pinochet regime killed thousands of people and put approximately 80,000 in internment camps. Additionally, according to historical records, about 30,000 people were tortured. Human rights violations were rampant during this period of time. One very disturbing event was the detainment of thousands of people in the national stadium. Many of these people were killed.

When you study Spanish in Chile, you will see that the country's economy today is very strong. During the time that Pinochet was in power, there were severe changes to Chile's economic policy that boosted the economy. This included currency stabilization, social security privatization, and the curbing of unions. Additionally, it was during this time that global trade opened up. As a result, despite the travesties that took place under his rule, many people give Pinochet credit for transforming Chile into a very prosperous country.

Pinochet passed away in 2006 at the age of 91. There were hundreds of criminal charges against him, but he had managed to avoid going to trial for more than 30 years.

When you learn Spanish in Santiago, you will see a great deal of the legacy of Pinochet's reign. Many people who disappeared during the time Augusto Pinochet was in power are still missing, and their friends and relatives continue to look for them. In retrospect, many people believe that Pinochet's government was fascist and marked a dark period in Chilean history.

by: Ken Ingraham

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