May Day marchers defy Pinochet
Socialist Press1979 1979-05-23Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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Pinochet Despite the ban on all demonstrations issued by the Pinochet regime and a strong police presence in the streets, 10,000 Chilean workers turned out to march on This is twice the number that demonstrated last year.
About 400 people were arrested in Santiago and the port of Valparaiso and 40 of these are to be tried for breaking the numerous 'state security' laws.
The police also broke into a church in Santiago to arrest union leaders who were having a meeting, and a delegation of Spanish trade unionists was prohibited from entering the country.
Nervousness
Although the armed forces declared themselves 'satisfied' with their handling the demonstrations, it indicative that rely on its five-year reign of terror and starvation politics to cowe the masses.
In the elections for course representatives at the University of Chile, opposition candidates won 68% of the vote against 28% for the regime.
Even more indicative of the growing confidence to display resistance is the increasing difficulty experienced by the pro-government unions in containing the demands of the rank and file.
At an official policy, and stated that his workers would no longer accept it as a reason for dismissals and extended working hours.
The Chilean working class is slowly building up its resilience after its massive defeat.
This process will undoubtedly be encouraged as Chilean workers observe the new wave of mobilisation in Peru and Bolivia and the strikes in Brazil and Argentina which are causing the local dictators so much trouble.
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