Armed resistance in Chile (1973–1990): Difference between revisions

The election of a civilian government in Chile did not end guerrilla activities. Within a few months after President [[Patricio Aylwin]]'s accession to power, leftist militants showed that they remained committed to armed struggle and were responsible for a number of terrorist incidents.<ref name="Chile Terrorism" /> On 10 May 1990, two guerrillas wearing school uniforms killed ''carabineros'' Colonel Luis Fontaine, a former head of the antiterrorist unit of the carabiniers, Chile's national police force. Two policemen were killed on 10 August 1990, in a working-class Santiago suburb and two more were injured in an attack on a bus.<ref>''Chicago Tribune', 12 August 1990</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} In September 1990, leftist militants detonate 53 bombs that kill or wound 83 Chileans.<ref>''"Así llega a cuadruplicarse a fines del mismo año, cuando en el mes de septiembre detonaron 53 bombas, resultando de ello 83 víctimas entre muertos y heridos."'' Estudios Públicos, (Issues 41-42), p. 477, El Centro, 1991</ref> On 14 November 1990, gendarmes transferred Marco Ariel Antonioletti, a senior MJL leader from jail to a hospital for treatment. MJL guerrillas fought their way into the Sótero del Río Hospital but were forced to withdraw, after having killed four gendarmes and one ''carabinero''. In retaliation, Chile's Investigations Police execute Antonioletti with a shot in the forehead. On 24 January 1991, MJL guerrillas ambushed and killed two carabineros. On 28 February 1991, a carabinero policeman died in a shoot-out in Santiago with leftist guerrillas of the Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front.<ref>''Miami Herald'', 5 March 1991</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} On 1 April, FPMR guerrillas assassinated right-wing senator Jaime Guzman, killing him as he left a university campus in Santiago. On 9 September three guerrillas kidnapped Cristian Edwards, whose family run El Mercurio newspaper. After his family paid $1 million in ransom, the [[FPMR]] freed him. On 22 January 1992, two FPMR guerrillas (Fabián López Luque and Alex Muñoz Hoffman) were killed trying to rob a ''Prosegur'' cash delivery armoured van at the Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago.

On 11 September 1998, three police stations—La Pincoya, La Granja and La Victoria—were attacked with firearms, incendiary bombs and rocks and 36 were carabineros were wounded in violence related to the 25th anniversary commemorations of the military coup.<ref>[https://archive.today/20121127131656/http://www.greenleft.org.au/1998/334/20295 Chile: coup anniversary brings heavy repression, 23 September 1998]</ref> In 2006, on the 33rd anniversary of the 11 September 1973, military coup, 79 carabineros were wounded in clashes with rioters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2006/09/13/shooting-looting-and-arson-on-chile-september-11-anniversary|title=Shooting, looting and arson on Chile September 11 anniversary|work=MercoPress}}</ref> In September 2007, a carabinero policeman was killed after being shot in the face and around 40 were wounded during clashes with leftists marking the 34th anniversary of the military coup.<ref>http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22410450-23109,00.html {{Bare URL inline|date=May 2022}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=these events are not armed resistance by guerrilla groups|date=May 2023}}

The following month, MJL guerrillas killed carabineer Luis Moyano Farías during the robbery of Banco Security in Santiago. In clashes with protesters commemorating the 35th anniversary of the military coup, 29 carabineros were wounded in September 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elcolombiano.com/BancoConocimiento/I/in_saldo_aniversario_chile_12092008/in_saldo_aniversario_chile_12092008.asp?CodSeccion=5|title=Unos 31 heridos y 234 detenidos en aniversario del golpe militar en Chile|work=El Colombiano|date=12 September 2008}}</ref> In September 2009, 19 Carabineros were wounded in clashes with protestors marking the 36th anniversary of the coup.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.levante-emv.com/internacional/2009/09/13/internacional-tres-jovenes-muertos-chile-protestas-antipinochetistas/630544.html|title=Tres jvenes muertos en Chile en protestas antipinochetistas|author=Levante-EMV|date=13 September 2009|publisher=levante-emv.com}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=these events are not armed resistance by guerrilla groups|date=May 2023}}
The lootings and other forms of appropriation that took place in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Chile, were in part promoted and legitimated by the MIR movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.workers.org/2010/world/chile_0311/|title=MIR in Chile: 'Expropriation is a people's right' |publisher=workers.org}}</ref>