Daughter of Allende 50 years after the coup in Chile: “Memory is a first step, but we need more”

The senator and daughter of the ousted Chilean president Salvador Allende (1970-1973), Isabel Allendesaid this Monday that “memory is democracy and the future” and called for “justice” during the central event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the coup d’état.

“Memory is a first step to reach the truth but we need much more to reach justice and ensure the non-repetition of the events of that day. Therefore, I subscribe to the motto that memory is democracy and future“said the 81-year-old senator through tears.

READ ALSO: Chile faces divided the 50 years of the coup of September 11, 1973 (and with the figure of Pinochet on the rise)

Allende’s daughter described her father as a “social fighter” and a “interpreter of the desires for social justice” and reviewed some of his policies at the head of the Popular Unity Governmentsuch as the fight against child malnutrition and the deepening of agrarian reform.

“I had to be the last person from my father’s entourage to enter the palace that day. We had a mandate to tell, what happened then. What it meant Popular Unity and also the barbarism that was beginning to impose itself“said Allende, who acknowledged that he does not forget “the last hug” his father’s.

The coup of September 11, 1073 led by general Augusto Pinochet It began a cruel 17-year dictatorship, which left more than 40,000 victims, among them more than 3,200 executed, of which a thousand are still missing.

The commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the coup d’état is generating great polarization and tension in Chili to the point that the traditional right and the extreme right declined to participate in the commemorative events and sign a declaration promoted by the president Gabriel Boric in favor of democracy.

The Independent Democratic Union (UDI), one of the parties of Chile Let’s go and of Pinochet origin, published a harsh statement this Monday in which he assured that the coup was “inevitable“because during the Popular Unity Government “a social, political and institutional breakdown ensued.”

Isabel Allende accused the right of trying to “distort the facts and blame Allende and the Popular Unity” of the blow and thanked Mexico and Cuba for giving asylum to his family after the death of his father.

“The coup d’état was a crime and there is no context (…) that legitimizes the dispossession of the popular will. I understand that there may be many interpretations, but never again should a coup d’état be the consensus of all political forces.”added the senator.

Before the ceremony, Boric offered breakfast and a tour of The coin (seat of Government) to the international leaders and personalities invited to the event, including the presidents of Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia and Uruguayin addition to the prime minister of Portugal.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.