NRO hosts a neat symposium on the problemmatic Pinochet, a figure who saved Chile from Salvador Allende (a man on the KGB dole) but killed a few thousand people in the process. Anthony Daniels opines: "The reason Augusto Pinochet was universally hated by leftists and many academics worldwide was not because he was so brutal or killed so many people (he hardly figured among the 20th century’s most prolific political killers, admittedly a difficult company to get into) but because he was so successful." Thor Halvorssen weighs in: "Inspired by the Chilean congressional vote to remove Salvador Allende from power, Augusto Pinochet took full control of Chile — by force. He shut down parliament, suffocated political life, banned trade unions, and made Chile his sultanate. His government disappeared 3,000 opponents, arrested 30,000 (torturing thousands of them), and controlled the country until 1990.... Pinochet’s name will forever be linked to the Desaparecidos, the Caravan of Death, and the institutionalized torture that took place in the Villa Grimaldi complex." Mario Loyola points out: "Pinochet did something else that few dictators ever do: Upon losing by a small margin in a plebiscite that pitted him against the entire spectrum of political opposition, he resigned. The crimes of Pinochet may be unpardonable. But at least he tried to redeem them. We shouldn't be surprised by the number of Chileans who are still thankful for that." Otto Reich concludes the discussion: "With some compassion and self-discipline, Pinochet could have been remembered as a liberator and not a despot. He was both."
Los Chicago Boys were heroes for saving the Chilean economy, even though they had to work for a terrible dictator to do it.
Pinochet was not.
Sounds like Pinochet was the perfect "antihero." So Shouldn't our culturati adore him?
Pinochet fits right in w/ what the hipster (young and old) elite holds up as the perfect idol to have sympathy for. I mean "heroism" is impossible (anyone who seems heroic/virtuous just hasn't been discovered as a hypocrite yet!) and Pinochet was truly a man of "complexity" who understood that life isn't "black and white."
So along with the prostitute who has a heart of gold, the hitman who won't kill women or children, and the mafia don who has a soft spot for animals, let's put Pinochet in his rightful place as the brooding anti-hero par excellence!
I would say Robert Altman should direct the movie that attempts to do justice to this complex and "intriguing" character but he sadly beat Augusto to the grave, so maybe we can get the guy who directed "The Motorcycle Diaries."
Don't be a player hater, Ben-T.
Bruce: I, too, think of Pinochet and Che together. Pinochet did a bit more harm and much more good than the much more celebrated leftist, but doesn't appear on T-shirts, neclaces of right-wing 19 year old, or posters in academic offices.
http://economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8413038
soy chilena, y se nota que mucha gente no supo realmente como fue Pinochet. Fue un asesino y ladrón. La economía acaso puede superar los horrores que cometió? si consideras que el dinero es más importante no tienes corazón.
Dear Natalia,
creo que tu tampoco sabes realmente como fue Pinochet. No estabas ahi. Me imagino que el comandante "Fidel" no debe ser un asesino como Pinochet lo es para ti. Mato a muchos y eso lo juzgara Dios.
regards
