Q&A with Tulia Falleti

What happened in Chile on Sept. 11, 1973?

 The three branches of the Chilean armed forces staged a coup d’état against the first democratically elected Marxist leader in Latin America, President Salvador Allende, who was killed in the process. Dictator Augusto Pinochet assumed power.

What led to the Chilean military overthrowing its government?

Unlike many other Latin American countries, Chile had a long history of democracy with very strong parties, so this was a big shock institutionally. To me, it’s a very sad day. Many people were incarcerated and tortured. Some were killed. Others went into exile. It’s a sad period in Latin American history.

Historians and political scientists alike attribute the U.S.-led international backlash against Allende’s economic policies, which devastated the Chilean economy, as the primary reason for the coup. In 1973, Chileans faced inflation, labor strikes, violence, and food shortages. But, behind-the-scenes, President Richard Nixon had authorized $10 million for the Central Intelligence Agency’s three-year-long covert operation against Allende, who was viewed as a threat to democracy in Chile and Latin America.  

What impact did the 1973 military coup have on Chilean society?

It ended the only experiment of a socialist regime coming into power via popular elections. 

The coup completely shifted Chilean society. The power shifted toward those who opposed the socialist regime and wanted the military to intervene. This was also the first time that neoliberal economic policies, the kind of policies and reforms that are market-friendly and seek to take the state out of the economy, were implemented.

Are there any parallels between the state-sanctioned violence around the world today and what happened on Sept. 11, 1973?

It’s important to keep in mind the differences between a military and a democratic regime. There are lots of shortcomings under democratic regimes, but it’s not quite the same as what we experienced when living under military dictatorships. The state violence under the military regimes in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s were states of terror: curfews at 9 p.m., no one could gather in large groups, repression. Torture was systematic, as were disappearances. These were regimes that acted with complete impunity and without any checks whatsoever by political institutions or the law. It’s different in democratic regimes. Even though we do have a problem of state violence, there is at least room to denounce it and hopefully, investigate it.

Why is the LALS program drawing attention to Chile and “The Other 9/11”?

The 45^th anniversary is a fantastic opportunity to bring awareness to campus about the recent political history of Latin America and the threats to democracy at that time, as well as the many problems it’s facing today, such as violence and corruption. 

At a time when immigration is part of the public debate, it’s essential to reflect upon the role that democracies have had in hosting people who were in exile. Some of the artists whose work will be showcased during “The Other 9/11--Memories: Geography of a Decade, Chile 1973-1983,” were exiles living in Paris. It’s another way the exhibit links to current-day debates, as we discuss refugees and immigrants arriving on U.S. soil.