Carlos Altamirano
Encyclopedia
Carlos Altamirano Orrego (December 18, 1922, Santiago de Chile) is a lawyer and one of the most influential politicians of Chile
an socialism
. He was the general secretary of the Chilean Socialist Party (PS) between 1971 and 1979. Before that, he was deputy from 1961 to 1965 and senator from 1965 to 1973. He escaped after Pinochet's coup d'état
on September 11, 1973 and lived as a refugee in Cuba.
(nostalgic of the positions of the Allende era) and the PS-Briones, that later became the PS-Nuñez (favorable to Altamirano's positions).
He returned to Chile after the end of Pinochet
's dictatorship
in 1993, and didn't participate actively in politics, although he did continue his reflections concerning politics.
Some people today tell to Altamirano like the principal Allende's shutdown factor.
Carlos Altamirano led the way for armed struggle against the bourgeoisie
, in particular after the tanquetazo
failed right wing coup. During Salvador Allende
's government
, he had a very strong discourse, calling to "advance without compromise" (avanzar sin transar — that might be compared to Marceau Pivert
's tout est possible, "everything is possible", during the 1936 Popular Front in France
). In 1973, sectors of the Chilean Navy
tried to convince leaders of the far-right paramilitary organization Patria y Libertad to assassinate him. The plan, however, was not enacted. After the September 11, 1973 coup, Altamirano fled to Cuba
.
According to lawyer Alun Jones, representant of the Spanish
justice during Spain's request to Great Britain
for the extradition of Augusto Pinochet, Augusto Pinochet had planned an attack against Carlos Altamirano just after Franco
's funerals in 1975. A declassified FBI document suggests that Altamirano had become an obsession of DINA director Manuel Contreras
, who wanted him assassinated at all cost, but that others within the agency cast doubts, because Altamirano seemed to be a decisive factor among the Chileans living in exile. The same document indicates that the neo-fascists associated with Stefano Delle Chiaie
were to assassinate
Bernardo Leighton
instead.
History of Chile
The territory of Chile has been populated since at least 2,000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to subdue and colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory became a colony from 1540 to 1818, when it gained independence from Spain...
an socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. He was the general secretary of the Chilean Socialist Party (PS) between 1971 and 1979. Before that, he was deputy from 1961 to 1965 and senator from 1965 to 1973. He escaped after Pinochet's coup d'état
Chilean coup of 1973
The 1973 Chilean coup d'état was a watershed event of the Cold War and the history of Chile. Following an extended period of political unrest between the conservative-dominated Congress of Chile and the socialist-leaning President Salvador Allende, discontent culminated in the latter's downfall in...
on September 11, 1973 and lived as a refugee in Cuba.
Biography
Carlos Altamirano started as professor of financial law and public finances in the University of Chile. During the Salvador Allende's rule, Altamirano was one of the leaders of the more radical left-wing, revolutionary faction of the Socialist Party. He ruled out any compromise with the Christian Democrats whom he regarded as reactionary and counterrevolutionary, and supported an armed struggle of the workers. After the anticommunist coup of 11 September 1973, he first fled to Cuba and later lived in the GDR. Altamirano became one of the main protagonist of the ideological renovation of Chilean socialism. He wrote Dialéctica de una Derrota en 1977 ("Dialectics of a Defeat"). He now favoured more Western style social democratic positions. In 1979, supporting an alliance with the Christian Democrats, he was expelled from the Socialist Party, that split in two: the PS-AlmeydaClodomiro Almeyda
Clodomiro Almeyda Medina was a Chilean politician. A leading member of the Socialist Party, served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile from 1970 to 1973 during the Presidency of Salvador Allende....
(nostalgic of the positions of the Allende era) and the PS-Briones, that later became the PS-Nuñez (favorable to Altamirano's positions).
He returned to Chile after the end of Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
's dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
in 1993, and didn't participate actively in politics, although he did continue his reflections concerning politics.
Some people today tell to Altamirano like the principal Allende's shutdown factor.
Carlos Altamirano led the way for armed struggle against the bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
, in particular after the tanquetazo
Tanquetazo
El Tanquetazo or El Tancazo of 29 June 1973 are the names used to refer to the failed coup attempt in Chile led by Army Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Souper against the government of Socialist president Salvador Allende. It is called such because the rebelling officers primarily used tanks...
failed right wing coup. During Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
's government
Chile under Allende
Salvador Allende was the president of Chile from 1970 until 1973, and head of the Popular Unity government; he was the first Marxist ever to be elected to the national presidency of a democracy...
, he had a very strong discourse, calling to "advance without compromise" (avanzar sin transar — that might be compared to Marceau Pivert
Marceau Pivert
Marceau Pivert was a French schoolteacher, trade unionist, Socialist militant and journalist. He was an alumnus of the École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud.-In the Socialist Party:...
's tout est possible, "everything is possible", during the 1936 Popular Front in France
Popular Front (France)
The Popular Front was an alliance of left-wing movements, including the French Communist Party , the French Section of the Workers' International and the Radical and Socialist Party, during the interwar period...
). In 1973, sectors of the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
tried to convince leaders of the far-right paramilitary organization Patria y Libertad to assassinate him. The plan, however, was not enacted. After the September 11, 1973 coup, Altamirano fled to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
According to lawyer Alun Jones, representant of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
justice during Spain's request to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
for the extradition of Augusto Pinochet, Augusto Pinochet had planned an attack against Carlos Altamirano just after Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's funerals in 1975. A declassified FBI document suggests that Altamirano had become an obsession of DINA director Manuel Contreras
Manuel Contreras
Juan Manuel Guillermo Contreras Sepúlveda is a Chilean military officer and the former head of DINA, Chile's secret police during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. As head of DINA he was the most powerful and feared man in the country, after Pinochet...
, who wanted him assassinated at all cost, but that others within the agency cast doubts, because Altamirano seemed to be a decisive factor among the Chileans living in exile. The same document indicates that the neo-fascists associated with Stefano Delle Chiaie
Stefano Delle Chiaie
Stefano Delle Chiaie is a neofascist Italian activist . He went on to become a wanted man worldwide, suspect to be involved in Italy's strategy of tension, but was acquitted. He was a friend of Licio Gelli, grandmaster of P2 masonic lodge...
were to assassinate
Leighton case
On October 6, 1975, an assassination attempt in Rome, Italy, was carried out against Bernardo Leighton, a former Chilean Christian Democratic vice-president, then in exile...
Bernardo Leighton
Bernardo Leighton
Bernardo Leighton Guzmán was a Chilean Christian Democrat who was targeted by Operation Condor.In 1937, President Arturo Alessandri Palma appointed him as Employment minister....
instead.
Books
- Dialéctica de una Derrota (1977)
- Después de Todo ("After Everything")
See also
- Operation CondorOperation CondorOperation Condor , was a campaign of political repression involving assassination and intelligence operations officially implemented in 1975 by the right-wing dictatorships of the Southern Cone of South America...