Above: Large banner at mass demonstrations reads, “General Strike!” Smaller banner reads, “Free and Sovereign Constituent Assembly!”
Note: The video below from Redfish, shows how Chile’s president declared war on his own people. After two months of protests dozens have been killed, hundreds maimed and thousands detained. The repression unleashed by the Chilean police and the military has brought back memories of the 17-year dictatorship under Pinochet. But it has also put a spotlight on the violence against activists that continued to this day. Redfish spoke with those who lived through the dictatorship as well as the families of the activists murdered in what was supposedly a ‘democracy’.
This Redfish video shows the performance of Inti-Illmani Plays “El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” by the legendary Chilean band Inti-Illmani gave an open-air performance of “El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” (“The people united will never be defeated”) with hundreds of thousands of Chileans singing along as they took to the streets of Santiago to protest against the government.
The song was written in 1973 by Sergio Ortega, months before the violent US-backed coup by dictator Augusto Pinochet. Initially composed as an anthem for the socialist government of Salvador Allende, it reflected the spirit of working-class people who in 1970 had elected Allende. After the coup, it became the anthem of the Chilean resistance against the Pinochet regime. It was Inti-Illimani in particular who made the song famous around the world. At the moment of the coup the band was on on tour in Europe and the members were unable to return to their country where their music was banned. Having heard of the numerous executions of leftists and many fellow artists by the regime, they went in exile in Italy for 15 years to hold what they called “the longest tour in history” playing the song of resistance all over the world until they could return after the restoration of democracy.
Over the last 2 months the lyrics have been heard loudly throughout the country, as protesters have kept taking to the streets to protest against their billionaire president and demand an end to government repression as dozens have been killed, hundreds maimed or injured and thousands arrested.
Video via Inti-Ilmani, by Leonardo Toro (@leonardotoro_ ).
KZ
The Clash Between Democracy Represented by the Mobilization of Millions vs. The Dictatorship that Represents the 140 Wealthy Families
On 11 December, the Chilean Senate passed a “constitutional accusation” against the former Minister of the Interior, Andrés Chadwick, following strong pressure to end impunity for murders, torture, and imprisonment of demonstrators in recent months (some 30 dead, more than 300 seriously injured in the eyes, two of whom became blind, thousands of detainees). All members of the government ran to comfort Chadwick who, at the press conference, highlighted his “innocence”, claiming to be the victim of a “political trial”.
On 12 December, in the Chamber of Deputies, a “constitutional accusation” against President Piñera was rejected by 76 votes to 70, thanks to the votes of the Christian Democracy, the Radical Party and the “independents”. That said, this initiative launched by the Frente Amplio [1] and the Communist Party aimed above all to give the illusion that it was possible to get rid of Piñera “democratically”… within the framework of an anti-democratic Constitution [2], since such a procedure, if adopted by the Chamber, would then have to be validated by the Senate, where Piñera’s supporters control the majority of the votes.
What is the significance of these two events from the point of view of the interests of the vast majority of the population, mobilized since mid-October?
TOP: Dictator Pinochet, with young Andrés Chadwick at his side. BOTTOM: (Right, in back) Current Minister of the Interior Andrés Chadwick. Like so many other current politicians, like the Constitution itself, Chadwick is a holdover of the Pinochet regime.
It is the clash between democracy, on the one hand, represented by the mobilization of millions for their demands, for their rights, and who are the true people of Chile … and the dictatorship, on the other hand. This is a dictatorship that represents the 140 large families that rule the country and concentrate 30% of GDP in their hands, backed by mercenaries who are ready to do anything to keep Piñera in power, despite the fact that he is credited with a mere 4% support in the polls.
It’s a dictatorship which, after Pinochet’s disappearance, donned a “democratic” mask, under the protection of 60,000 special riot police armed to the teeth. A police force whose only mission has been to repress all social mobilization for the past thirty years, and which, in the face of the revolutionary mobilization of recent weeks, behaves no differently than the repressive force of the old dictatorship.
In these conditions, the struggle of the people, students, workers, women, and pensioners is making its way and drawing lessons. One of the first lessons is the need to move towards the establishment of an organization that is independent of all parties that have served in Congress.
This need is expressed in the accelerated crisis that is affecting all parties. The Frente Amplio is the most affected: four organizations that were members have left it, and others, under pressure from their own activists, are likely to follow them. This is because the Frente Amplio was the main salvation for Piñera by signing the “Agreement for Peace and a New Constitution” [3] while the traditional parties were cornered.
Another lesson that is reinforced every day in the course of mobilization is the need for a government that is able to implement the population’s demands. On this path, a discussion is taking place in popular organizations to move towards a Constituent Assembly. Of course, there are many obstacles, but to bring down the regime at the service of the 140 families, based on the repression and servility of the existing parties, it is necessary to impose the Constituent Assembly now, so that a government responsible to this Assembly is formed, composed of representatives of the exploited population.
To do this, it is essential that workers’ committees be organized for the Constituent Assembly immediately. The fight for a government that breaks with the current economic, social and political regime is a necessary condition for establishing a true democracy.
Endnotes
(1) The Frente Amplio (FA, Broad Front) is a coalition of groups formed in 2017 that presents itself as a left-wing alternative to the Socialist Part and the Communist Party.
(2) The current Chilean Constitution is that of 1980, that is, that of the Pinochet dictatorship.
(3) This is an agreement signed on 16 November by the Frente Amplio, the PS and others, making a hypothetical cosmetic amendment to the Constitution conditional on a referendum in April 2020.