50 years of the coup in Chile: thousands march in memory of the victims of the Pinochet dictatorship

Thousands of people marched this Sunday in the center of Santiago de Chile to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1973 coup d’état and pay tribute to the victims of the military dictatorship, a demonstration that was full of emotion and messages in favor of democracy, but ended with riots in the General Cemetery and the surroundings of the presidential palace .

The Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, joined the march led by the Group of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees (AFDD), and at whose head was also the Spanish judge who was in charge of the general’s prosecution Augusto Pinochet at the beginning of the century, Baltasar Garzón.

LOOK: Why is Chile commemorating the 50th anniversary of the divided coup d’état and with the figure of Pinochet on the rise?

“His death (that of Allende) was in defense of democracy and the rule of law”the president noted minutes before, during the inauguration of a memorial on 80 Morandé Street, in front of the door of the Palace of The coin where they took the body of the socialist president after the bombing against the headquarters of Government.

Citizens participate in a demonstration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coup d’état against the democratic government of Salvador Allende. (EFE/ Javier Martín Rodríguez). (Javier Martín Rodríguez/)

“The breakdown of Chilean democracy, with its enormous consequences of death and destruction, continues to mark us to this day (…) Today when some allow themselves to relativize what should not have existed, we say firmly: democracy today and always”he stressed Boric on the eve of an anniversary that is generating a lot of tension and polarization.

The traditional Chilean right, grouped in the Chile Vamos coalition, announced this week that it will be absent from the commemorative events on Monday, which will be attended by several presidents of the region, and said that he will not sign the declaration in favor of democracy that Boric promotes.

Carrying hundreds of flags and banners and photographs of victims, the march ended at the foot of the Memorial of the Disappeared Detainees, in the General Cemetery of the capital.

Riot police spray water cannons on protesters at the Central Cemetery during a march to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. (Photo by Pablo VERA/AFP). (PABLO VERA/)

Judge Waiterwho wore glasses similar to the iconic ones he wore Allendeasked “not to forget what happened on September 11, 1973, an assault on democracy, a violent coup d’état that led to the opening of a regime of fear and the denial of human rights.”

The coup began a cruel 17-year dictatorship that left more than 40,000 victims, including at least 3,200 murdered opponents.

“As long as there is no justice, there is no truth, we will never stop marching. We must heal the wounds with true justice, reparation and guarantees for never again.”a protester who asked not to be identified told EFE.

The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, participates in a demonstration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coup d’état against the democratic government of Salvador Allende. (EFE/ Karin Pozo). (KARIN POZO/)

At his side, another young man who also did not want to reveal his name, told EFE that the march “is a commitment to memory, so that in this country democracy is never again broken and the Armed Forces betray their people.”

In various parts of the capital, especially in the cemetery, There were riots and clashes between violent protesters and police forces, in addition to barricades and several lootings in a downtown supermarket.

There were also riots in front of La Moneda and protesters threw stones at the palace, breaking some windows.

Source: Elcomercio