Global Voices » Pinochet’s Heart Attack: Bloggers Reactions

^[1]Last weekend, ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet ^[2], was admitted to the hospital because of a heart attack. The situation awoke national feelings of what he symbolises to Chilean citizens. This post is meant to share some of those reactions:

El Chere ^[3] (ES) on irreverencia ^[4] (ES), writes:

¿Qué tienen en común el fin de las dictaduras españolas, brasileras, paraguayas, bulgaras, rumanas y paraguayas?. Los dictadores murieron, fueron tomados presos, exiliados o de alguna u otra forma se les saco de la realidad nacional, acá en Chile esto no pasó. Por lo mismo el proceso de transición a la democracia en Chile ha sido tan engorroso, largo, y lleno de rencores. De una u otra forma Pinochet ha marcado el devenir nacional de los últimos 17 años.”

What do the Spanish, Brazilian, Paraguayan, Bulgarian and Romanian dictatorships have in common? Their dictators died, were jailed, exiled or somehow removed from the national reality. Here in Chile, this has not happened. Because of that, the transition process to democracy has been so thorny, long and full of resentment. In one or other way, Pinochet has marked the national future for the past 17 years.

Patricio Navia ^[5] (ES) , a Chilean political scientist, posts on his blog an article he wrote for El Universal ^[6] (ES). He refers to the situations of Augusto Pinochet and Fidel Castro:

Dos de los más importantes símbolos para la izquierda regional enfrentan paralelamente una difícil batalla con la muerte. Aunque ambos parecen aferrarse a la vida con la misma obstinación que se aferraron al poder, el fin está cerca.

Pero la muerte de estos dos líderes sólo consolidará el monumental lugar que ocupan en la historia de América Latina. Los libros recordarán con sus luces y sombras los gigantescos y polémicos legados de ambos. Para la izquierda, Fidel siempre fue un símbolo de la lucha antiimperialista y del ideal de igualdad y justicia social. Pinochet en cambio simboliza las atrocidades cometidas por las dictaduras militares en la región.

Two of the most important symbols for the region's leftists confront parallel and difficult battles with death. Although both [leaders] seems to seize life with the same stubbornness they seized to power, the end is near.

However, the death of these two leaders will only consolidate the monumental place they have in Latin American history. The books will remember their gigantic and controversial legacies with lights and shadows. For the right wing, Fidel has always been a symbol of the anti-imperialist fight and the ideal of equality and social justice. Pinochet, instead, symbolizes the atrocities committed by the military dictatorships of the region.

BAD ^[7] (ES) opines about why the left wing has beeen so calm about Pinochet's health:

A pesar de todo el dolor que Pinochet ha causado en Chile, sus detractores, no parecen desearle la muerte, al contrario, le desean una muy larga vida. Algunos porque esperan que las dolencias de la edad se encarguen de su sufrimiento. Otros porque esperan tener la satisfacción de verlo juzgado y condenado.

Despite all of the pain that Pinochet has caused Chile, the detractors do not seem to wish him dead. On the contrary, they wish him a very long life. Some have the hope that the illness of age will ensure his suffering; others because they hope to have the satisfaction of seeing him judged and condemned.