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Remembering the 11th of September
Surely, this will be the last opportunity for me to address you. The Air Force has bombed the antennas of Radio Magallanes. My words do not have bitterness but disappointment. May they be a moral punishment for those who have betrayed their oath: soldiers of Chile, titular commanders in chief, Admiral Merino, who has designated himself Commander of the Navy, and Mr. Mendoza, the despicable general who only yesterday pledged his fidelity and loyalty to the Government, and who also has appointed himself Chief of the Carabineros. Given these facts, the only thing left for me is to say to workers: I am not going to resign!
Placed in a historic transition, I will pay for loyalty to the people with my life. And I say to them that I am certain that the seeds which we have planted in the good conscience of thousands and thousands of Chileans will not be shriveled forever. They have force and will be able to dominate us, but social processes can be arrested by neither crime nor force. History is ours, and people make history.
Workers of my country: I want to thank you for the loyalty that you always had, the confidence that you deposited in a man who was only an interpreter of great yearnings for justice, who gave his word that he would respect the Constitution and the law and did just that. At this definitive moment, the last moment when I can address you, I wish you to take advantage of the lesson: foreign capital, imperialism, together with the reaction, created the climate in which the Armed Forces broke their tradition, the tradition taught by General Schneider and reaffirmed by Commander Araya, victims of the same social sector who today are hoping, with foreign assistance, to re-conquer the power to continue defending their profits and their privileges.
I address you, above all, the modest woman of our land, the campesina who believed in us, the mother who knew our concern for children. I address professionals of Chile, patriotic professionals who continued working against the sedition that was supported by professional associations, classist associations that also defended the interests of capitalist society.
I address the youth, those who sang and gave us their joy and their spirit of struggle. I address the man of Chile, the worker, the farmer, the intellectual, those who will be persecuted, because in our country fascism has been already present for many hours -- in terrorist attacks, blowing up the bridges, cutting the railroad tracks, destroying the oil and gas pipelines, in the face of the silence of those who had the obligation to act.
They were committed. History will judge them.
Surely, Radio Magallanes will be silenced, and the calm metal instrument of my voice will no longer reach you. It does not matter. You will continue hearing it. I will always be next to you. At least my memory will be that of a man of dignity who was loyal to his country.
The people must defend themselves, but they must not sacrifice themselves. The people must not let themselves be destroyed or riddled with bullets, but they cannot be humiliated either.
Workers of my country, I have faith in Chile and its destiny. Other men will overcome this dark and bitter moment when treason seeks to prevail. Keep in mind that, much sooner than later, great avenues will again be opened, through which will pass the free man, to construct a better society.
Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!
These are my last words, and I am certain that my sacrifice will not be in vain, I am certain that, at the very least, it will be a moral lesson that will punish felony, cowardice, and treason.
Salvador Allende,
11 September 1973.
11th September 2007 16:04:49, 633 words, 318 views
12 comments »
12 comments
Economic instability he brought? How dare you. Capitalists cause economic instability, in this case a Mr Nixon ordering the CIA to "make the economy scream" and to "unseat" Allende.
Your figures are wrong, in the first year inflation dropped from 34% to 22%, industrial growth rose 12% and the GDP increased 8% and unemployment dropped to 3.8%. The following year, after the United States initiated its economic war and the capitalists sabotaged the economy, inflation rose to 140%.
"The miracle of Chile" doesn't exist, just today thousands of people were out on strike demanding better working and living conditions, dozens were injured in the clashes with the government forces.
Allende's mistake was trying to be nice, giving the capitalists some room, allowing them to continue to exist. This is something many on the left are guilty of accepting. When the workers' take power the capitalists must be stripped of their property immediately. Capitalism has shown it won't accept even a few percent of its profits reduced, it'll gladly trade 20 years of fascism to keep the people down, and their profits up.
By September, high inflation (508% for the entire year) and shortages had plunged the country into near-chaos. (Flores, 1997)
As I said Pinochet's economic reforms led to what is known as the Miracle of Chile. Chile is one of the best economic successes of all Latin America. The fact that workers are striking for better conditions does not surprise me. Thousands of people strike in the US all the time. Thats what having a union is for. (I couldn't find your source for dozens being injured)
Chile today is as I said before the 11th most free economy. The ability of the people to have success is tremendous. The people have the power of the government. The people are better off today than they where when Allende took office. And they are better off today then their neighbors.
Go to Chile, once you go past the fancy hotels for foreigners ask the people about the "miracle".
A rich person cannot be rich without first plundering the poor.
I understand your point though. There will always be people who are better off than others. The difference being in (currently) the poverty level is lower than nearly every one of its neighbors. This I believe is an accomplishment considering the level of indigenous tribes that still inhabit the nation.