Chile To Trace Over 1,000 Individuals Who Disappeared During 1973 Coup

Chile has embarked on a groundbreaking government initiative to address the fate of over a thousand individuals who disappeared during the regime of General Augusto Pinochet, the dictator who seized power in a coup 50 years ago, according to Barron's.

The government has launched the "Truth and Justice" project to shed light on the unresolved cases.

This significant endeavor aims to determine the fate of the 1,162 people who have remained unaccounted for years after the country transitioned to democracy.

Previously, locating these individuals had largely fallen on the shoulders of their grieving families.

Information regarding the fate of only 307 out of the original 1,469 individuals has been uncovered.

One of the key challenges has been the reluctance of former soldiers, who have been accused by families of the disappeared of forming a "pact of silence" to conceal their actions.

President Gabriel Boric announced the initiation of the search project at a ceremony held at the presidential palace.

He emphasized the need for justice and the pursuit of truth, stating, "Justice has taken too long... The only way to build a more free and respectful future of life and human dignity is to know the whole truth."

The project has been endowed with a dedicated budget and staff. Its investigators will reconstruct the victims' final days, tracing their journey from the moment of arrest to their ultimate destination.

The endeavor could potentially lead to reparations for the families of the missing individuals.

The 1973 Coup

The brutal 17-year dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet marked a dark period in Chile's history, during which around 40,175 individuals suffered executions, detentions, disappearances, or torture as political prisoners, Reuters reports.

This information, derived from various commissions' fact-finding efforts and compiled by the Ministry of Justice, highlights the extent of the human rights violations committed during that era.

Chile is approaching commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1973 coup that brought Pinochet to power on September 11.

This event was part of a broader wave of military rule that swept through the region during the 1970s, impacting countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.

Families in these nations have also been tirelessly advocating for information about their disappeared loved ones.

Historically, efforts to uncover the truth and locate the missing have often led to the discovery of bone fragments, at best, which are then identified as the remains of the disappeared individuals.

Unfortunately, many families throughout the region still search for their loved ones, with many remaining unlocated and unidentified.

Victims, Relatives Demand More Information About the Disappeared

The families of victims and the disappeared have persistently called upon the Chilean armed forces to disclose more information regarding the fate of those who went missing, per Al Jazeera.

Advocates have also pressed for releasing US records about Chile, aiming to shed light on historical events.

The US Department of State recently declassified a 1973 intelligence briefing to then-President Richard Nixon, alerting him about the "possibility of an early military coup attempt" in Chile shortly before the coup.

The declassification comes as part of ongoing efforts to uncover historical truths.

Historical records reveal that the US was involved in covert propaganda operations against Salvador Allende, even before his election.

Additionally, the US supported opposition groups financially during Allende's time in office.

According to a 1975 US Senate report, the overarching aim of US policy was to exert pressure on Allende's government to impede its consolidation and limit its capacity to enact policies contrary to US interests.

Despite these revelations, the exact extent of Washington's direct involvement in the coup remains uncertain. It continues to be a subject of investigation and debate.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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