In 1973, the Chilean military, backed by the CIA and U.S. Government, violently crushed the democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende, long time leader of the progressive left. Over 3200 people died or disappeared during the coup, with tens of thousands imprisoned and tortured in the aftermath.

At the time of the coup, Chile was in a period of social upheaval, as Allende’s Government actively promoted improvements to social and economic justice whilst deepening values of freedom and democracy. Despite instigating a creative renaissance, there was also a time of social disorder, leading to an outcry from the conservative right and the military. This period of ‘creative chaos’ ended in one of the most brutal coups Latin America had ever seen, altering life in Chile for the next 3 decades.

Within a week of the coup, congress was closed, the press eliminated, curfews imposed, unions banned, the previous government imprisoned and concentration and torture camps established. Radio transmissions intercepted at the time are included here, including speech between leaders of the uprisings. The documentary features speakers who were in Chile at the time such as Chilean writer, Ariel Dorfman and Isabel Allende, journalist and family member of Salvador Allende. There are also historical audio recordings, including Salvador Allende, Richard Nixon and a speech from 1974 in which Henry Kissinger is questioned on the involvement of the U.S. despite denial from U.S. officials. There is also an early example of Allende warning the U.N. against transnational corporations and their intervention in world political affairs.

The second programme and also a short promo for the documentaries are available on The Showcase. Also see http://www.freedomarchives.org for more information. This audio recording lasts 28 minutes and 2 seconds.