Lasting legacy on Argentine society Silent; secret; unknown for many years Began before the military...
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Southern Cone Politics
Lasting legacy on Argentine society Silent; secret; unknown for many years Began before the military dictatorship by junta Under National Reorganization
Lasting legacy on Argentine society Silent; secret; unknown for
many years Began before the military dictatorship by junta Under
National Reorganization Process: Kidnapping, torture, murder were
legal For purpose of restraining subversives Ideological war: asked
citizens to give up individual rights to cleanse the country of
subversives and achieve peace for God and country steady propaganda
campaign: enemy is unknown; enemy is among you
Slide 3
350 detention centers Size: 30 1500 prisoners Abducted day or
night; family members beaten; children kidnapped Local police
assisted Used psychology of fear
Slide 4
Junta shared methods of repression and torture with
governments/groups in Central America Encouraged by US 1977-1984;
covert
Slide 5
Blindfolded Nicknames Tortured Sexually abused Burned with
cattle prods Hitlers speeches broadcast Many died and were buried
in mass graves Many were drugged, transported in planes, and
dropped over ocean alive Many disappeared: no records
Slide 6
30,000 in Argentina in 7 yrs Not including those released
Families desperately searched 400 babies born in captivity 88 found
true identities (as of 2008)
Slide 7
Began in hope that children would be released Met in secret;
learned of enormity of situation Meet in Plaza de Mayo on
Thursdays
Slide 8
Battle with British for control; lost to British in 1982 Final
test of the dictatorship Ral Alfonsin came to power in December
1983 3 days after election, passed Decree #158: Legal proceedings
against 9 military officials of 3 of 4 military juntas (4 th junta
had passed a self-amnesty law)
Slide 9
1983 Created CONADEP: National Commission on the Disappearance
of Persons Investigate human rights violations during dictatorship
Released report 1984 (Nunca Ms): 458 assassinations; 600
disappeared Trial of junta Life imprisonment of 9 members of
junta
Slide 10
Alfonsin also felt pressure to pacify military 1. 1986 Ley de
Punto Final (Full Stop Law) Mandated end of investigation &
prosecution for those facing charges for political violence under
dictatorship up to 1983 2. 1987 Ley de Obedencia Debida (Law of Due
Obedience) officers cannot be punished for political violence
during dictatorship because they were following orders
Slide 11
Pardoned officers who had been indicted Human rights groups
sought justice, testimony from victims, loopholes in law Mid-level
officers began confessing to atrocities Pressure from Madres &
civil society for truth trials Courts had right to subpoena and
investigate but not to convict International pressure 1999
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights settled with Argentina to
guarantee right to truth by obtaining clarification of what
happened to disappeared persons
Slide 12
Full Stop Law and Law of Due Obedience did not pertain to baby
theft Mnem created National Commission for Right to Identify 1992
Some military generals (e.g. Videla)were found guilty of kidnapping
babies Spent 1 month in jail; released to house arrest for health
reasons Other countries (Italy, Spain) called for extradition of
military junta members so they could be tried abroad President
Fernando de la Ra signed Decree 1581 Argentina refused to allow
Argentines to stand trial in other countries
Slide 13
Full Stop and Due Obedience Laws were found unconstitutional by
Supreme Court 2005 2006 cases were reopened Those previously
pardoned could not be retried 1 early case led to calling
dictatorships actions genocide Earlier pardons were therefore
unconstitutional 2007 Argentine federal court struck down Mnems
pardons and reinstated human rights abuse allegations
Slide 14
Change has been made due to their fight and pressure Proyecto
Desaparecidos (Project Disappeared) Proyecto Desaparecidos Several
human rights organizations with the purpose of recovering and
maintaining memory, understanding what happened in Argentina during
the dirty war and fighting against impunity Monuments to remember
the dead Monument of the Victims of State Terrorism Began in 1999
with 1 stone
Slide 15
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Slide 18
Civil war 1891 (8 months) 1925 democracy; new constitution
Universal suffrage for presidential elections Separation of church
and state Mandatory primary education Economic depression 1929
economic hardship another civil war
Slide 19
Late 30s: end of civil war Radical Party rule Coalition of
political groups 3 presidents 1938-1952 Relative stability Salvador
Allende Founded Chiles Socialist Party 1933 Had lost presidential
elections 1952, 1958, 1964
Slide 20
Won 1964 election Rising inflation and unemployment; social
unrest Nationalized mining Agrarian reform Allende won election
1970 by narrow margin Instituted radical left-wing reform To pacify
army, elected generals to cabinet, including Augusto Pinochet 2
weeks later (Sept 11): Pinochet led coup, Allende was murdered
Slide 21
Horrible inflation (238%) Large black market Strikes Food lines
Political polarization between left and right
Slide 22
Pinochet State-sponsored terror for national security and to
protect against communist threat Abducted, tortured, disappeared
subversives Economy improved New constitution in 1980 gave Pinochet
8 more years
Slide 23
In first hours of dictatorship, 1000s were rounded up and
placed in a stadium Many tortured Transferred to National Stadium
Sent to concentration camps/detention centers Anyone perceived as
threat to new power was the enemy Sept 12, 1973: Decree Law #5: an
internal war National Security doctrine: enemy within Military
announced a state of siege Legal cases handled through military
courts rather than civil courts Killing and repression were
justified by this security situation
Slide 24
Arbitrary arrest Imprisonment Torture Disappearances Execution;
group executions No right to appeal War Council sentences Murder
Exile Abduction Intimidation Surveillance Death without trial
Slide 25
Decree Law # 521: DINA Secret Police Later called CNI Secret
Police Operation Colombo: disappearance of subversives Military
shut down Constitutional tribunal, National Congress, dissolved
political parties, burned voting lists, terminated power of mayors
and city councilors
Slide 26
Many Human Rights Groups condemned the actions of the military
Openly protested in 1980s: increased repression 1989 election:
Patricio Aylwin Christian Democrat Still had military to deal with;
Junta did not go out in disgrace in Chile as they had in
Argentina
Slide 27
Pinochet had passed amnesty law 1978 Exempted military from
prosecution for torture and murder Had also made himself and 8
others senators for life 1980 constitution Pinochet remained
Commander in Chief of Army until 1998 Amnesty case went to Supreme
Court 1990 Was upheld by Court Supreme Court did not reverse any
rulings regarding amnesty law until 1997 Reopened a case involving
2 individuals
Slide 28
Stuck by amnesty law, Alwyn took other measures: Offered
reparations Ratified human rights treaties Brought to trial a few
cases not covered by amnesty law Documented human rights abuses
National Truth and Reconciliation Commission Fact-finding only; no
legal authority: 2025 murders, disappearances; 90 killed by
civilians; 164 killed by political violence (human rights
organizations had much higher numbers) Offered public apologies to
families
Slide 29
Ceremony in National Stadium Helped to hold funeral for Allende
(17 years after death) Memorial wall Peace Park in Villa
Grimaldi
Slide 30
Death toll 3197 President Frei 1994 Strong hatred between
military and civilian governments Hundreds of trials under way
Judicial reforms: decreased militarys power in government 1998
Pinochet retired as Commander in Chief; still Senator for Life
Slide 31
Pinochet trip to England for medical treatment Arrested by
Spain for murder of Spanish citizens in Chile Under house arrest
until 2000 Released by Britain for medical reasons Returned to
Chile; granted immunity Judge Guzmn began legal proceedings against
him: battle ensued about his medical ability to stand trial Finally
lost his immunity in 2004
Slide 32
Valech report: Heard 38,000 testimonies; proved 28,000
legitimate: monthly pension and benefits to victims and families
Discovered Pinochets international bank accounts: house arrest
Pinochet died in Dec 2006: never convicted
Slide 33
She and her mother were tortured at Villa Grimaldi 1975 Her
father was tortured and died1974
Slide 34
Declassified documents: CIA supported Pinochet; involved in
coup against Allende Kissinger gave full support to Dirty War in
Argentina Gave military aid to dictatorships
Slide 35
Argentina: Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner o Chile: Sebastin
Piera