Chile arrests 284 in protests condemning Pinochet dictatorship
Chilean authorities arrested 284 people during protests commemorating victims of Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 military dictatorship, marking an 80% increase from the previous year. This year, the government, led by far-right President Jose Antonio Kast, did not hold official events for the era, a first since Pinochet's rule ended.
Why it matters
The protests highlight ongoing societal divisions and historical memory issues in Chile, particularly concerning the Pinochet era, and reflect political tensions under the new far-right presidency. The government's decision to forgo official commemorations signals a shift in how the nation acknowledges its past.
More than 280 people were arrested in Chile during demonstrations commemorating victims of Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship, the government said Saturday (September 12, 2026).
This year was the first since the end of Pinochet's brutal 1973-1990 rule that Chile did not hold any official events marking the era that left deep scars on the South American nation.
"I cannot erase history, nor can I ask our compatriots to accept that we are condemned by our history to be unable to look toward our nation's future," said President Jose Antonio Kast, the first far-right head of state in Chile since Pinochet's exit, who took office in March.
Under Pinochet more than 3,200 people were killed or disappeared, while tens of thousands of others were tortured or imprisoned.
Demonstrations take place annually to mark the September 11, 1973 coup d'etat led by Pinochet against the government of socialist president Salvador Allende.
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