From Santiago
The rain fell heavily in the early hours of the morning and left around ten o’clock. The time coincided with the commemoration event for the 50th anniversary of the coup d’état against Salvador Allende in the Plaza de la Constitución. From a stage set in front of La Moneda, President Gabriel Boric, called not to relativize the coup and criticized those who insist that there was no other option. “Of course there was another alternative and tomorrow, when we experience another crisis, there will always be another alternative that involves more democracy and no less,” he said, raising his voice. No right-wing party wanted to participate in today’s ceremony.
The event began with Gaby Rivera Sánchez, president of the Group of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees of Chile, dancing a cueca alone, as a symbol of the absence of a partner. Then, Estela de Carlotto, the president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayowas called to the stage as the first speaker. The public received it standing“Did you see the sun rise? It’s a sign that someone is with us,” she said, and was interrupted by applause. She continued: “Because those who gave their lives for their country, their lives were taken. We are accompanying each other in this long struggle that the countries in Latin America have had. Therefore, there are words that are eternal: Memory, Truth and Justice.” .
“Justice, truth, no to impunity”they sang in the stands.
Iván Córdoba nodded, excited. “On September 11, 1973, I was six years old and from the balcony of our apartment we could see the bombing of La Moneda. My parents and my brothers had lived through the entire Popular Unity process. When Allende arrived at La Moneda in 1970, it was a very great hope. Chile was a very poor country, right here, blocks from La Moneda, children walked barefoot (barefoot). “I come here because I am a six-year-old child who on September 11 the military raided our apartment.”
At 11:50 in the morning, the start time of the bombing of the presidential palace, a minute of silence was observed. Immediately, the socialist senator Isabel Allende, daughter of the former president, spoke and with a broken voice, recalled Tuesday, September 11, 1973. “I had to be the last person from my father’s entourage who was with him. I had decided after the tank, that if there was another coup d’état he would go to La Moneda to support it. “I don’t forget his last hug, his infinite love.”
The socialist senator thanked the memorial installed in the historic 80 Morandé Street in honor of his father, which indicates the door he used in La Moneda. When the dictatorship authorities rebuilt the palace, they did not include the door.
Isabel Allende criticized the opposition for trying to reverse the responsibilities of what happened 50 years ago. “The real people responsible are those who broke the institutions, bombed this palace and murdered thousands of Chileans.”
The event was not attended by right-wing politicians. Days ago the opposition had already refused to sign the commitment to democracy promoted by Boric.
Before speaking, the left-wing president shared with the attendees a video with a message from his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernández, who apologized for the scheduling problems that prevented him from participating in the event and stated that, on the day of the coup State, it was also the day where “the tragedy began in Chile.”
Boric spoke before relatives of victims of the dictatorship and the presidents of Bolivia, Luis Arce; Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador; Colombia, Gustavo Petro and Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou. In addition, there were former Chilean leaders Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet; the former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón and the former presidents José Mujica and Ernesto Samper.
With a firm voice, the young Chilean president recalled the importance of this anniversary. “With an indelible smile from Estela, with the immeasurable emotion of Isabel, we commemorate a painful tragedy which without a doubt is a turning point in our history, which brought death, suffering and persecution and poverty.
Boric reiterated his call not to relativize the coup and criticized those who insist that there was no other alternative: “Of course there was another alternative.” His words sounded like an allusion to the statement he issued hours before the event. the Independent Democratic Union (UDI), a party with nostalgic Pinochet supporters, where he stated that the riot was “something inevitable” due to the alleged “breakdown of democracy” carried out by the Allende government.
Upon listening to Boric, Ernesto Samper, former president of Colombia and coordinator of the Puebla Group, warned this newspaper. “What I see in Chile is that Allende is still alive but Pinochet is resurrecting. There is a very aggressive attack from the right, the powers that be, who are creating the conditions to wear down the government. “They are economic groups, media, saber rattling, distrust in the economy and there is distrust in the progressive sectors.”
Deputy Karol Cariola warned about historical relativism in Chile. “There are positions that have tried to deny history, seeking to go back to positions that we had built as a society. The extreme right vindicates the coup d’état. Kast has for a long time visited the inmates of Punta Peuco, convicted of human rights violations. It is dangerous and painful because it jeopardizes the guarantees of non-repetition.”
The communist legislator added: “Chile is living the 50 years of the coup with a cloak of impunity. The dictator died without having been tried, Baltasar Garzón is here, who is the only one who gave a little justice to the people of Chile for having arrested to the dictator in London”.
Boric highlighted the commitment shown by the former Chilean leaders. “I appreciate that we have signed the manifesto”For democracy, always with Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, Ricardo Lagos, Michelle Bachelet and Sebastián Piñera”.
“Murderer,” they shouted from the audience upon hearing the name of Boric’s predecessor.
The current president highlighted what progress was made in previous governments regarding missing detainees, with the reports Rettig and Valech and assured that his government intends to leave as a legacy the National Plan for the Search for Truth and Justice.
Meters from the event, next to the statue of Allende, a long line formed to place flowers and take photos. After placing a red carnation, Héctor Nilo, 76, declared: “I have the moral commitment to greet Salvador Allende, our betrayed president. Every September 11, I greet the great president of Chile.”
