AN ANALYSIS ABOUT THE TRANSITION FROM THE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP TO DEMOCRACY IN CHILE

Abstract

This study intends to examine the meanders between the military dictatorship and the transition to democracy in Chile. Therefore, it was used bibliographical and documentary research. Initially, it discussed about the Chilean historical background, emphasizing its constitution as a nation, the emblematic traces of its civil society and its military establishment and the warp of its authoritarian legal system. Afterwards, it was exposed

about the Chilean military dictatorship, not forgetting to comment the collaboration of the Brazilian government for the coup that triggered against President Salvador Allende; the wide jurisdiction of the military courts in wartime to alleged crimes committed by regime opponents and their tiny levels of absolution and the role played by the Chilean dictatorship for regimentation and implementation of Condor Operation. Then, they were presented the phases and the characterizing notes of transition to democracy in Chile. By the end, it was concluded about the similarities between the Chilean dictatorship and the Brazilian. In the same way, it was notice the importance of the Chilean authoritarian normative framework to the repressive intervention of the armed forces. Still, there was stressed the relevance of the Chilean dictatorship for the functioning of Condor Operation. Finally, it was established that the Chilean transition was mainly marked by the installation of three successive commissions with the aim of investigating serious human rights violations committed during the Chilean dictatorship; the international intervention, such as the request for extradition and subsequent arrest of Augusto Pinochet; as well as by the repeated requests for institutional excuses perpetrated by the Executive, the Judiciary and, more recently, by the Chilean military.