Behind the walls of a house in the heritage neighborhood “Paris-Londres”, in Santiago de Chile, lies a story of pain, resistance and struggle for the memory. Number 38 was used as a secret detention, torture and extermination center during the civil-military dictatorship (1973-1990) led by Augusto Pinochet.
After years of complaints, the place was recovered by organizations of relatives of detained-disappeared persons and executed, and now it is London 38a restored memorial site open to the public that is a reminder that memory is the first step toward justice.
“London 38 It is an example of how memory and justice can be preserved and promoted through collective action.”said in an interview for La Cadera de Eva, Maíra Máximo Nascimento, facilitator of the space’s memories area.
51 years after military coup in Chilethe work of London 38 It is essential to combat the impunityhe denialismand to promote justice and truth in a country where the memory It is resistance, because it is a space where the victims of the Chilean dictatorship find voice and recognition.
London 38 It is made up of a team that works in areas such as memory, archives, communications, press, legal and administration. They carry out activities focused on education, art and culture, which seek to expand the dimension of the memory beyond formal education.
“The importance of memorial sites is that they allow us to critically reflect on the past and its impact on the present, and serve as a reminder of the struggle for justice and truth” (Maíra Máximo)
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Review the past
Talk about memory for space London 38 It involves remembering, honouring, preserving, promoting, reflecting, resisting and building a collective identity to prevent history from repeating itself. The anniversary of the coup d’état in Chile is a time to reflect on history and its impact on the present.
During the almost 17 years that the dictatorship in Chilewomen became the main protagonists in the fight for memory and justice in the country. From the beginning, mothers, sisters, wives and partners were the ones who organized to defend their loved ones. missingdetained and tortured.
“Women have been fundamental in the fight for human rights, they have been the ones who have denounced human rights violations. They have been the ones who have kept the flame of memory alive, those who have continued to search for their missing loved ones and those who have transmitted the story of the victims to the new generations” (Maíra Máximo)
From her experience in the Bugambilia Collective, which works with the memory of mothers and women who organized during the dictatorship— Maíra Máximo highlights that her struggle was not only to seek justice for her loved ones, but to transform her pain into a political project that fought the dictatorship.
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Resistances
Los spaces and sites of memory are essential to preserve history and ensure that human rights violations are not forgotten.In Chile, these sites are especially important due to the dictatorship and the impunity that continues to prevail despite the efforts of the organizations of relatives of missing persons and executed, justice and truth remain elusive.
“Impunity for crimes against humanity is a major challenge in Chile. Despite legal proceedings, sanctions are few and many of those responsible continue to enjoy privileges. The Chilean Constitution, still in force, is the same one signed by Pinochet in 1980 and guarantees impunity” (Maíra Máximo)
The perpetuation of these privileges and the lack of justice and truth for the victims of the dictatorship It is an issue that remains sensitive in Chile. In this regard, Maíra mentioned that the dictatorship installed a neoliberal economic and political model that remains to this day and that has generated a deep inequality and social exclusion.
“There are still sectors that deny or minimize the crimes committed during that period. The same families and companies that supported the dictatorship are the ones that today promote denialism and repressive measures. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the memory alive and promote justice and truth” (Maíra Máximo)
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Memory viva
On this anniversary of the coup d’état in Chile, Maíra highlights the importance of continuing to work to build a culture of memory and human rights that will allow us to overcome the legacy of the dictatorship and build a more just and equitable future.
“It is worrying to see how society is moving away from the memory of the dictatorship, due to neoliberalism and individualism. The denial discourse and the defense of what happened during the dictatorship are increasingly common. Therefore, it is important to commemorate and reflect on the dictatorship and its consequences” (Maíra Máximo)
In Chilethe military dictatorship left a deep mark on society, sites of memory such as London 38 They are essential to remember and honor the victims of that regime. Their importance lies in their ability to connect the past with the present, allowing for critical reflection on the events that marked the history of a country..
“Today, 51 years later, we continue to fight for the right to memory and against impunity and denialism. Despite the speeches and promises, very little is done. The same organizations that fought 50 years ago are still the ones that carry out the work today. fight for memory” (Maira Maximo)
He right to memory It is not only essential for victims and their families, but also for society in general, as it allows us to critically reflect on the past and build a culture of memory and human rights.
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