Background
- After the overthrow of Salvador Allende in September 1973, General Augusto Pinochet established one of Latin America’s most repressive military regimes.
- The dictatorship ended Chile’s long tradition of democracy and marked a shift from socialist reform to authoritarian rule and neoliberal economics.
- Pinochet justified his rule as necessary to restore order, fight communism, and rebuild the economy after years of crisis.
Definition
Coup d’état
- A coup d'état is the sudden, illegal, and often violent seizure of power from a government by a small group of people, typically the military or other political elites.
Reasons for the Rise to Power
- Political Polarization
- Under Allende (1970–73), divisions deepened between left and right; Congress was gridlocked, and violent clashes increased.
- Economic Crisis
- Inflation rose above 500%, food shortages spread, and production fell due to strikes and falling exports.
- Loss of Middle-Class Support
- The middle class and business sector feared socialism and instability.
- U.S. Intervention
- The CIA funded opposition groups, labor strikes, and propaganda to undermine Allende’s government.
- Military Intervention
- Claiming to defend “national security” and prevent a communist revolution, the army led by Pinochet seized power on September 11, 1973.
Definition
Political polarization
- Political polarization is the divergence of political attitudes toward ideological extremes. This growing divide creates an environment where cooperation and compromise are increasingly difficult, contributing to political dysfunction and societal unrest.
Economic and Social Policies
- Adopted free-market reforms guided by the “Chicago Boys,” Chilean economists trained in the U.S.
- Privatized state industries, cut public spending, and opened the economy to foreign investment.
- Early years (1975–82) saw falling inflation and growth, but also rising unemployment and income inequality.
- Education and healthcare were decentralized and privatized, widening class gaps.
- Economic recovery in the 1980s stabilized Chile but benefited the elite far more than the poor.
Repression and Treatment of Opposition
- The regime dissolved Congress, banned political parties, and censored all media.
- Thousands of suspected leftists were arrested, tortured, or “disappeared” by the secret police (DINA).
- Created concentration camps and exile programs to remove critics.
- Controlled universities, labor unions, and student movements to eliminate dissent.
- International pressure increased after reports of human rights abuses, especially from Amnesty International and the UN.
- A 1980 Constitution gave Pinochet power for eight more years, but protests in the mid-1980s forced a plebiscite (1988), which he lost, ending his rule in 1990.
Case study
The DINA (Chile, 1973–1977)
Origins and Purpose
- The DINA (Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional) was created in 1973, shortly after General Augusto Pinochet’smilitary coup overthrew Salvador Allende.
- It served as the secret police and intelligence agency of the new dictatorship.
- Officially, its purpose was to protect national security and eliminate “Marxist threats.”
- In practice, it worked to eliminate political opposition, silence critics, and maintain fear throughout Chile.
- The agency was led by Colonel Manuel Contreras, who reported directly to Pinochet.
Methods and Human Rights Abuses
- The DINA arrested, tortured, and executed thousands of suspected leftists, union leaders, and students.
- Many victims were taken without trial and never seen again.
- Operated secret detention centers such as Villa Grimaldi and Londres 38, where prisoners faced brutal interrogation.
- Used surveillance, informants, and intimidation to control the population and destroy opposition networks.
- Extended its reach beyond Chile through Operation Condor, a regional plan where South American dictatorships cooperated to target exiles abroad.
Impact and Legacy
- Between 1973 and 1977, thousands of Chileans were victims of DINA operations; estimates suggest more than 3,000 killed or disappeared and tens of thousands tortured.
- International pressure from the United Nations and human rights organizations exposed these abuses.
- In 1977, Pinochet replaced DINA with a new agency, the CNI (National Information Center), to reduce international criticism.
- After Chile’s return to democracy in 1990, DINA officials, including Contreras, were tried and imprisoned for human rights violations.
- The DINA became a symbol of state terror, illustrating how authoritarian regimes use fear and violence to maintain control.
Exam technique
- Divide essays into the three themes: rise, policies, repression.
- Use key terms: “National Security Doctrine,” “Chicago Boys,” “Plebiscite of 1988.”
- Compare social progress (economic growth) with human cost (repression).
- Link to Cold War context: U.S. support for anti-communist regimes.
Common Mistake
- Ignoring how economic instability and foreign influence caused the coup.
- Focusing only on repression and forgetting economic policies.
- Treating Chile’s dictatorship as identical to other Latin American regimes.
- Forgetting to link political control to Cold War anti-communism.
Self review
- Examine the reasons for the rise of a military dictatorship in one Latin American country.
- Assess the social and economic impact of military rule in Chile under Pinochet.
- To what extent did the Pinochet regime rely on repression to maintain power?
- Evaluate the importance of Cold War influences in the establishment of military dictatorship in Chile.
