Last modified: 25-Jan-1999
This site contains accounts of the crimes of Augusto Pinochet, who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. The texts explain what people are talking about when they call him a "dictator" or "strong man" who committed a few "human rights violations". These reports tend to confirm one another, and collectively give some idea of the range and scale of the atrocities.
Case studies from Amnesty International's 1983 report on torture in Chile:
Three passages from Robinson Rojas Sandford, The Murder of Allende and the End of the Chilean Way of Socialism, Translated from the Spanish by Andrée Conrad, New York (Harper and Row) 1975, 1976:
Prats, pp.175-176.
The Tortures, pp.202-204.
The Women, pp.206-210.
From Evidence on the Terror in Chile. Report compiled by Raul Silva, Brigitta Leander, and Sun Axelsson. Translated by Brian McBeth. London (Merlin Press) 1974. originally published Stockholm (Ab Raben & Sjogren) 1974:
The Testimony of "Camilo Henriques", pp.55-61.
João in Chile the Stadium, pp.16-23.
From an Americas Watch report: Chile since the Coup: Ten Years of Repression, August 25, 1983, pp.70-73:
From María Eugenia Rojas, La represión politica en Chile: los hechos. Madrid (IEPALA Editorial) 1988. This text, , in Spanish, appears to be a definitive work on human rights violations in Chile under the Pinochet régime. The selection will be expanded over time, and translated.
This selection, like several others at this site, contains references to the original pagination in square brackets, thus: [78]. Unfortunately I don't know Spanish. I have done my best to proofread the scans but would welcome corrections.
The following are illustrations from María Eugenia Rojas' text.
Suspended from pole, p.101.
Submarino, piscina con hielo, p.115.
Parilla, p.116.
Sumarino seco, etc., p.117.
Téléfono, p.119.
The testimony of Juan Rojas Castro. The following text was sent to me by the author on 14 December 1998. His English translation, posted here, immediately followed the Spanish original. Except for (i) dividing the text into its Spanish and English portions, and (ii) minor formatting changes, I have made no alterations of any kind.
Testimonio, (Spanish version)
Testimony, (English version)
The First House of Lords Decision: Here is the complete text of the first House of Lords decision, in which immunity to Pinochet was denied. This material is also available at
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199899/ldjudgmt/jd981125/pino01.htmbut not as a single document.
Additional material:
The best Pinochet site is probably the one at: The Pinochet Page
An excellent collection of links can be found at LondonNet: Pinochet links
The Guardian's collection of news and links to Pinochet sites can be found at: Pinochet under arrest
There is also a British, activist anti-Pinochet site at: Make Pinochet pay!
Everyone is encouraged to submit similar material, which will be included at my sole discretion. Submissions should include adequate bibliographical references. I would welcome, not only further testimony about torture, but also (i) material documenting Pinochet's responsibility for these atrocities, (ii) items associating him with Margaret Thatcher and other "world leaders", and (iii) concise reports of Free World support for his régime. No opinion pieces, please.
This site is a mirror for the original site at http://www.trentu.ca/~mneumann/pinochet.html.
Visitors since 10-November-1998:
Last modified: 25-Jan-1999