Christian Left Party (Chile)
Encyclopedia
The Christian Left Party of Chile is a Chile
an left-wing political party
. Founded in 1971, in its early days it was suppressed by the Pinochet
dictatorship. It is nowadays part of the Juntos PODEMOS Más
alliance, that also includes the PCCh
.
The Izquierda Cristiana party was founded when a number of Christian Democrats left their party in protest against the party's cooperation with the right-wing forces and confrontation with the Allende government. Thus, on 31 July 1971 Bosco Parra declared that he saw no future for christian left
positions within the Christian Democrat party. He was joined by 6 other MPs, Fernando Buzeta, Jaime Concha, Alberto Jaramillo, Luís Maira, Pedro Urra and Pedro Videla, as well as by Silvia Alvarez, the only woman and Luís Badilla, the leader of the Christian Democratic youth organization. At this stage, the new organization was joined by a number of MAPU
militants (incl. 3 senators: Julio Silva Solar, Alberto Jerez and Jacques Chonchol) who were dissatisfied with their party's affiliation with Marxism-Leninism
.
The Christian Left Party was part of the Unidad Popular coalition, and declared itself to be a revolutionary party of Christian
and Humanist
tradition, and in favour of constructing socialism. It tended to agree with the radical wing of the Unidad Popular (the leftist majority of the Socialist Party and parts of the MAPU). After the 1973 coup, the party members were subject to arrest and torture, like people from other leftist groups. The party's militants continued operating together with and within left-wing groups. After democracy was restored in Chile in 1990, most of the militants joined the Socialist Party
while others continued as the Chritian Left party.
It currently is a member of the political alliance "Together We Can Do More" (Spanish: Juntos Podemos Más
). The second national congress of the Christian Left took part in 2006. The activists chose Manuel Jacques
as the president of the Party.
On October 3, 2007, it started a process to re-enter the Political Party Registry (Spanish: Registro de Partidos Políticos), from which it was removed in 1989, for not having obtained enough votes to continue as a legal party. The process ended successfully on May 25, 2008, when the Electoral Service (Servicio Electoral) of Chile re-registered it as a legal political party.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an left-wing political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. Founded in 1971, in its early days it was suppressed by the 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...
dictatorship. It is nowadays part of the Juntos PODEMOS Más
Juntos Podemos Más
Juntos Podemos Más por Chile is a political coalition created in 2003, consisting of the Communist Party of Chile, the Humanist Party, the Christian Left Party of Chile, and several other smaller left-wing organizations.The...
alliance, that also includes the PCCh
Communist Party of Chile
The Communist Party of Chile is a Chilean political party inspired by the thoughts of Karl Marx and Lenin. It was founded in 1922, as the continuation of the Socialist Workers Party, and in 1934 it established its youth wing, the Communist Youth of Chile .In the last legislative elections in Chile...
.
The Izquierda Cristiana party was founded when a number of Christian Democrats left their party in protest against the party's cooperation with the right-wing forces and confrontation with the Allende government. Thus, on 31 July 1971 Bosco Parra declared that he saw no future for christian left
Christian left
The Christian left is a term originating in the United States, used to describe a spectrum of left-wing Christian political and social movements which largely embraces social justice....
positions within the Christian Democrat party. He was joined by 6 other MPs, Fernando Buzeta, Jaime Concha, Alberto Jaramillo, Luís Maira, Pedro Urra and Pedro Videla, as well as by Silvia Alvarez, the only woman and Luís Badilla, the leader of the Christian Democratic youth organization. At this stage, the new organization was joined by a number of MAPU
Mapu
Mapu may refer to:*The Popular Unitary Action Movement or MAPU , a small leftist political party in Chile*The Horse stance, a martial arts position, is known as Mapu in the Chinese language...
militants (incl. 3 senators: Julio Silva Solar, Alberto Jerez and Jacques Chonchol) who were dissatisfied with their party's affiliation with Marxism-Leninism
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
.
The Christian Left Party was part of the Unidad Popular coalition, and declared itself to be a revolutionary party of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and Humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
tradition, and in favour of constructing socialism. It tended to agree with the radical wing of the Unidad Popular (the leftist majority of the Socialist Party and parts of the MAPU). After the 1973 coup, the party members were subject to arrest and torture, like people from other leftist groups. The party's militants continued operating together with and within left-wing groups. After democracy was restored in Chile in 1990, most of the militants joined the Socialist Party
Socialist Party of Chile
The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
while others continued as the Chritian Left party.
It currently is a member of the political alliance "Together We Can Do More" (Spanish: Juntos Podemos Más
Juntos Podemos Más
Juntos Podemos Más por Chile is a political coalition created in 2003, consisting of the Communist Party of Chile, the Humanist Party, the Christian Left Party of Chile, and several other smaller left-wing organizations.The...
). The second national congress of the Christian Left took part in 2006. The activists chose Manuel Jacques
Manuel Jacques
Manuel Jacques Parraguez, is a Chilean lawyer, academic and politician. He is President of the Izquierda Cristiana and a professor at the Universidad Bolivariana de Chile....
as the president of the Party.
On October 3, 2007, it started a process to re-enter the Political Party Registry (Spanish: Registro de Partidos Políticos), from which it was removed in 1989, for not having obtained enough votes to continue as a legal party. The process ended successfully on May 25, 2008, when the Electoral Service (Servicio Electoral) of Chile re-registered it as a legal political party.