Pinochet's Constitution fell, when will Franco's fall?

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Pinochet's Constitution fell, when will Franco's fall?

Let's see if we found out at once that democratic constitutions are not written by people related to dictatorships but by the people themselves

The Chilean people have just voted overwhelmingly in favor of throwing into the dustbin of history the Political Constitution of the Republic of Chile, drawn up in the time of the dictator Augusto Pinochet. Now he will face hopefully the drafting of a new Magna Carta by means of a joint constituent convention, which will be elected by popular vote, outside the political parties and with a shielded representation specifically for native peoples.

Such an overwhelming result has been a huge blow for President Sebastián Piñera and for the majority political forces, deeply discredited for maintaining a status quo that has greatly impoverished the population and has put it into debt for many years in the future. That is why it is curious that he now tries to score a victory produced against his own will and particularly against himself. A victory that has cost the lives of 30 protesters since the beginning of the protests in October 2019 and thousands of complaints about human rights violations by the repressive forces of the Conservative government, which we could see live in many media .

It is worth remembering now the words of Piñera's wife, Ceciia Morel, the same one who said that the protesters reminded her of an alien invasion - the working class should be so far away for her and her family that they no longer consider her to be from this world - when They recorded that viral audio that said "we are going to have to diminish our privileges and share with others." She alluded to that zero-sum game that many do not want to see even if they have it right under their noses: the wealth of a few depends on the poverty of many. Is there a clearer and simpler way to make it explicit?

Piñera and his people have been the clear losers of what he himself called "war", such is the myopia of a right-wing leader who despises his people and their legitimate demands. He and his own, those who came to power after the coup against President Allende - conceived in the sewers of the White House - govern to maintain the privileges of their class and they have it very clear, we have already heard. Recourse to the people is a necessary nuisance to perpetuate itself or to endow the looting of a country with legitimacy. Chile, once sold as the example of economic success in Latin America, is a country torn apart, dismembered and sold in pieces to the highest bidder. The governments - social democratic and conservative - that followed in Pinochet's wake privatized water, seas, health, education, even streets and avenues. They sold islands, beaches, ports ... Studying a year at the university, counting only the cost of tuition ($ 7,650 in public), costs more than the average annual salary of a worker, $ 550 which is what half of the workers of the country; the pensioners have to work in what they can, because with less than 300 dollars a month of pension they cannot subsist with dignity, that is the Chilean miracle. That is the great example that was opposed to the sovereignist, popular, socialist or revolutionary governments of Latin America.

But Pinochet left everything tied and well tied to the taste of the United States, just what Franco promised Nixon in his day. The Chilean dictator did so with a liberal constitution that he drew up in the middle of his mandate and that is still in force because in itself it was practically irreformable. The Spanish fascist laid the foundations for the transition through the last of his Fundamental Laws, the - posthumous - Law for Political Reform, approved by the Francoist courts with the support of 435 of the 531 attorneys in November 1976. The Letter Magna that derived from it is also practically irreformable, because in practice it needs the consensus of the majority parties of the 78 regime and at least one of them, the Popular Party, considers itself the ideological and biological heir of the dictatorship, to the point that he will never betray his mentor's legacy.

But the Chilean people have managed to defeat the Pinochetism installed in power since the military coup on the streets. Neither the siren songs, nor the promises of power nor the pandemic, made them renounce their fundamental objective, to end the regime of 73. Unfortunately, the hopeful Spanish 15M movement ended up being diluted in a process of institutionalization that has led to assume the bases of the regime of 78 and to resign to lead the long-awaited and necessary second transition.

It is time to celebrate the historic triumph of democracy in Chile. The struggle of the Chilean people was always felt as part of our struggle, their songs were our songs. We mourn the death of Allende or that of Víctor Jara like that of close colleagues. His songs, along with those of Quilapayún, were never missing in any meeting in which there was a guitar and a few beers. For this reason, hearing them again years later chanted in the Plaza de la Dignidad de Santiago and in so many other squares and avenues in the country, cannot but provoke enormous feelings of empathy, brotherhood, affection and solidarity.

We know that it is only the beginning, that there is a long way to go for a true constitution useful to the people to become a reality, but the Chilean people woke up and are not going to sleep now that they have everything at hand. The regime's policy has had to climb on the back of the transforming wave in order not to be overwhelmed by it, but the drafting of a new Magna Carta is too important to be left in the hands of lean politicians who are going to try to hijack the constituent process. so that it does not get anywhere. That is probably the order they have from their northern employers. But they are no longer those all-powerful thugs of the 70s and 80s, it is not going to be easy for them to subdue a raised and empowered people.

 

This is where we must learn from the lessons that the Chilean people have given us. Let's see if we find out at once that democratic constitutions are not written by people related to dictatorships but by the people themselves; that blue blood does not have it even the smurfs; that the dynasties of kings only serve to steal and perpetuate themselves; that a constitution that claims to be democratic cannot put an army above the will of the people, nor allow the apology of fascism; that crimes against humanity never prescribe and that end-of-term laws are illegal and, above all, that as long as there is a single freedom fighter lying in the gutter, there will be no democracy in our country

 It is time to celebrate the historic triumph of democracy in Chile. The struggle of the Chilean people was always felt as part of our struggle, their songs were our songs. We mourn the death of Allende or that of Víctor Jara like that of close colleagues. His songs, along with those of Quilapayún, were never missing in any meeting in which there was a guitar and a few beers. For this reason, hearing them again years later chanted in the Plaza de la Dignidad de Santiago and in so many other squares and avenues in the country, cannot but provoke enormous feelings of empathy, brotherhood, affection and solidarity.

We know that it is only the beginning, that there is a long way to go for a true constitution useful to the people to become a reality, but the Chilean people woke up and are not going to sleep now that they have everything at hand. The regime's policy has had to climb on the back of the transforming wave in order not to be overwhelmed by it, but the drafting of a new Magna Carta is too important to be left in the hands of lean politicians who are going to try to hijack the constituent process. so that it does not get anywhere. That is probably the order they have from their northern employers. But they are no longer those all-powerful thugs of the 70s and 80s, it is not going to be easy for them to subdue a raised and empowered people.

This is where we must learn from the lessons that the Chilean people have given us. Let's see if we find out at once that democratic constitutions are not written by people related to dictatorships but by the people themselves; that blue blood does not have it even the smurfs; that the dynasties of kings only serve to steal and perpetuate themselves; that a constitution that claims to be democratic cannot put an army above the will of the people, nor allow the apology of fascism; that crimes against humanity never prescribe and that end-of-term laws are illegal and, above all, that as long as there is a single freedom fighter lying in the gutter, there will be no democracy in our country