Chilean Communist Party May Be Power Broker In January 15
Article:
Brian McAfee brimac6@hotmail.com
Chilean Communist Party May Be Power Broker In January 15
Run-Off Election.
Chile's Socialist Party candidate, Michelle Bachelet, soundly
defeated her right wing opponents in the December 11
presidential vote but failed to obtain the 50% to become
president. Chilean law requires a candidate receive at least 50%
of the vote to obtain the presidency. The breakdown was Bachelet
45.95%, Sebastian Pinera of the National Renovation party
25.41%, Joaquin Lavin of the Independent Democratic Union party
23.22%, and Tomas Hirsch of the Humanist party and part of a
coalition with Chile's Communist party 5.40%, Most of Hirsch's
vote coming from the Communist Party.
After the initial presidential vote the two right wing
candidates quickly formed a coalition against the Socialist
parties Dr Michelle Bachelet. With the combined vote block of
the two right wing candidates Bachelet's lead is greatly
reduced. With the likely support of the Chilean Communist party
she will retain a narrow lead. Hirsch has split from his
alliance with the CP and declared his independence, no longer a
factor in the race. With many on the Right being Pinochet
loyalists and Bachelet's solid link with the Left the upcoming
run off vote will indicate were Chile is at in Latin America's
current trend toward the Left. Chile's outgoing Socialist
president Lagos's 70% approval rating may be an indicator. The
background of the two candidates differ widely.
Dr Bachelet endured numerous personal tragedies in the years of
Pinochet's coup. Her father, Alberto Bachelet, an air force
general loyal to president Salvador Allende, was tortured to
death in 1974 by DINA, Pinochet's secret police. In 1975 both
then 23 year old medical student, Michelle Bachelet, and her
mother, Angela Jeria, were kidnapped from their home by a gang
of DINA men. Both were tortured and deprived of food and water.
Because of intervention by some top military officials, the two
women escaped execution and were instead exiled to Australia
Under the junta. Many women and girls were raped, tortured, and
executed. Most of the perpetrators remain unpunished. Bachelet
and her mother spent almost 5 years in Australia, then she
returned to Chile to do clandestine human rights work. She also
became a medical doctor, treating victims of rape and torture
committed by the U.S. supported junta.Most of the victims were
members of Chile's Socialist and Communist parties.
Democracy was restored in Chile in 1988. As a politically
active outspoken critic of the U.S. supported fascist
dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, Bachelet became president
Ricardo Lagos's choice to head the national ministry of health.
She served in this capacity from March of 2000 then in a
stunning move, President Lagos appointed her defense minister in
2002. As a former victim of military crimes, this move signaled
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a complete overhaul of Chile's military establishment. While she
endorsed efforts to prosecute officers for their crimes against
the civilian population, Bachelet obtained and continues to have
the respect of the majority of the military and their families.
There were over 3,000 murdered by the junta during the Pinochet
years, a national wound that has not yet healed. "There was a
group of Pinochet supporters who thought when the wives of the
disappeared died off, the problem will die with it," Bachelet
said, "But their children and grandchildren have taken up the
flag."
Sebastian Pinera, a PhD in economics and a successful
businessman, has strong ties to the media and is said to be a
billionaire. He has had an ongoing affiliation with the Chilean
Right. Despite the harsh realities of the past, the current
president Ricardo Lagos as well as his likely successor, Dr.
Bachelet, have their vision set firmly on the future, dealing
with the current complexities of the economy, social issues, and
the environment. Bachelet will have to take a closer look at The
CP's three platform positions, greater democratization to fully
break away from the rights undue influence on Chile's political
system. A reconsideration of Chile's privatized healthcare
system and better pension fund system. Time will tell.
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