Chile's 'Democracy' Recycles Pinochet's Lawyers: Some Habits Die Hard
📰 THE STORY: Chile's president-elect has reportedly appointed lawyers with ties to the Pinochet dictatorship to prominent ministerial positions, a move that DW presents with a matter-of-fact tone. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: In 1973, the CIA orchestrated a brutal coup against the democratically elected socialist President Salvador Allende, replacing him with General
Augusto Pinochet. This ushered in a 17-year dictatorship during which over 3,000 people were killed or 'disappeared' and tens of thousands more were tortured. These 'Pinochet lawyers' were not just passive observers; they were instrumental in solidifying the legal framework for the neoliberal policies and human rights abuses that defined his regime. Double Standard: Imagine if Germany's current
government appointed lawyers who defended Gestapo officials or architects of Nazi policy to high office. The international outcry would be deafening, and rightfully so. Yet, when a US-backed, neoliberal regime in Latin America rehabilitates figures from a CIA-installed dictatorship, mainstream media outlets like DW present it with a detached neutrality, as if it's just another cabinet reshuffle.
Follow the Money: Pinochet's regime famously implemented 'Chicago Boys' neoliberal economic policies – privatizing state assets, deregulating markets, and crushing labor unions – all to the immense benefit of US financial interests and multinational corporations. The appointment of individuals who legally facilitated this economic plunder and human rights repression ensures the continuity of the