Pinochet: Chilean Tyrant & ”Friend” of the West

Fascinating People Fascinating Places

Daniel Mainwaring

Documentary, Society & Culture:documentary, Society & Culture, History

5 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2023

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On 2 May 1973, the Chilean national football team took on Peru in a crucial world cup qualifier at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago. The victory coupled with success in a subsequent playoff meant that only the Soviet Union stood between Chile and a place at the world cup finals. That game, against a nation whose government had friendly ties with Chilean President Allende would take place in November at the same venue. But Chileans would come to remember 1973 for more important reasons than football. Powerful figures had been plotting against the democratically elected Allende for two years, both at home and in Washington DC at the White House. The Chilean football team did qualify for the world cup but only because their opponents from the USSR forfeited the match in protest at the CIA-backed military coup that saw President Allende killed, and thousands imprisoned, tortured, or killed in the very stadium that was due to hold the match. In this episode, I speak with Professor Kristin Sorensen an expert on global studies whose specialties include Chile about the notorious regime of General Augusto Pinochet and the devastating and lasting impact it has had on the lives of ordinary Chileans.

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0:00.0	On the 2nd of May 1973, the Chilean national football team took on Peru in a crucial World Cup qualifier at the Estadio National in Santiago.
0:14.0	Victory coupled with success in a subsequent playoff meant that only the Soviet Union stood between Chile and a place at the World Cup finals.
0:27.2	That game against the nation whose government had friendly ties with Chilean President
0:32.1	AYende would take place in November at the same venue.
0:36.4	But Chilean would come to remember 1973 for more important reasons than football.
0:48.0	Powerful figures had been plotting against the democratically elected AYonday for two years, both at home and in Washington, D.C. at the White House.
0:52.0	I would go through a confrontation with a in Washington DC at the White House.
0:52.6	I would go to a confrontation with him the quicker the better.
0:55.8	We're not going to go and get openly on the police and the place behind the same.
0:59.7	You're going to kick that out of Chilean.
1:01.8	The Chilean football team did qualify for the World Cup, but only because their opponents from the USSR
1:09.0	forfeited the match in protest at the CIA-backed military coup that saw President Iiende killed
1:15.2	and thousands imprisoned tortured or killed in the very stadium that was due
1:21.6	to hold the match. In this episode I speak with Professor
1:26.1	Kristen Surrinson, an expert on global studies whose specialties include
1:31.2	Chile about the notorious regime of General Augusto Pinochet and the devastating and lasting impact it has had on the lives of ordinary Chilean's.
1:47.6	At the height of the Cold War, democracies in South and Central America toppled like dominoes as the United States and the Soviet Union used a variety of overt and covert tactics
1:57.3	to ensure friendly governments came to or remained in power. Chile was one of the few nations with the democratically elected government
2:07.0	when Salvador AYende formed a coalition government in 1970.
2:12.0	But the problems affecting neighbouring states were also present in Chile as Professor
2:18.2	Kristen Soronson explains.
2:20.9	Chile has always been a very divided society, it's a very unequal society.
	...

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