SANTIAGO & POLITICS

Sue and I have mostly been doing different stuff while here so far. This is my stuff.

First a bit of history.

Back in the 60´s a massive social and political movement of the people began to grow and develop. It involved hundreds and thousands of ordinary people, trades unionists, musicians, theatre people and artistes of all sorts, from the cities and the countryside. It was a movement for change from poverty and exploitation, from suppression and maintenance of inequalities.

This culminated in a great democratic victory for the socialist coalition led by Salvador Allende in 1970, when he became President. A message of hope also went out across the world, that a socialist government could come to power through the ballot box.

However, this was short lived, as a conspiracy was begun almost immediately between Chilean conservative elements, the military leaders and the American CIA. By 1973 these people and their allies had caused a great deal of economic instability and chaos in the country. In September of that year they siezed their chance and a military coup was staged. Allende was murdered within the Moneda Palace (the Chilean Parliament at that time) and the building was blitzed from the air. Many died alongside him and hundreds of thousands more were killed, tortured and dissapeared during the immediate days, and many more in the following years of the military dictatorship of Pinochet.

Soon after September 73 Chilean political refugees began arriving into whatever friendly countries would have them, including Britain. And that is how I and many others became aware of those events. So............
I wanted to find various places in Santiago where I knew things had happened and do a little pilgrimage.



I have seen the sports stadium where many, including Victor Jara (a hero of mine, with a beautiful voice) were tortured and murdered in the first days of the coup. A couple of years ago it was renamed for him, with his widow and daughters present. Then the museum of artist solidarity with Salvadore Allende. This contains many paintings and sculptures donated by artists from 1970 onwards, who wished to express solidarity in this way with that government. Last year it was finally rehoused properly into a lovely purpose modernised old building. I went to the Moneda Palace, which no longer houses the government but which has been restored. And finally, this morning, I made my way to the huge cemetary where Victor Jara is buried and there is a very moving and huge memorial to the "desaparicidos", built just a couple of years ago. While I was at Victor Jara´s niche in a wall I noticed acres of identical plain metal crosses, and discovered this is where many of the disappeared ones have been placed, without name or anything, as they were buried without anyone knowing (or wanting to acknowledge) who they were. I have to try and find out more about all that.
The best book I know to read on the subject, and in English, is written by Joan Jara, Victor's English wife. She writes about the years leading up to the 70's and what happened 1970-73. It is an extremely moving book, "Victor, an Unfinished Song".


Sue's Santiago:i didnt write anything in puerto montt because i was upset about the state of the street dogs there,including a young one that was obviously dying.Anyway,we are staying in a typical colonial part of Santiago,in the middle of a heatwave.The hotel looks very grand from the outside but is fading on the inside.I have been ambling around on my own ,trying to capture the feel of the place.One cannot escape what this country has been through in the recent past,even a few doors down,there is a house where people were tortured and murdered,and every thursday a vigil is held for them,and there names are read out.To me the significant thing is that they can do this now,freedom of speech seems to be returning.This address is londres 38.Ihave been to a museum on precolumbian art ,whis was amazing,with mummies,3000 years before the ancient egyptians did it.


Went to an exhibition of freda kalo art.Today I went to the main square,where I seemed to get immersed in Amnesty international,a demonstration about womens aid from violence,a charity for animals and a peace vigil.So Ros is rubbing off on me.Also heard some great music including a rap pair,who had just got married and performed in her wedding dress.Bought a load of rugs which were begging me to buy them,and a plastic bag with London tower bridge to carry them in..Ilike it here,it feels like its waking up from some kind of nightmare.People wander round with placards saying hug me,and everybody seems fresh somehow,although there is undoubtedly appalling poverty here.love to all.