Chile: the statue of General Baquedano, symbol of political divisions
A protester waves flags atop the statue of General Manuel Baquedano in Plaza Italia on October 9, 2020 in Santiago, the Chilean capital.
AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
A statue has become the symbol of the political divisions that cross society, that of General Manuel Baquedano.
This military leader distinguished himself in the 19th century during the conquest of the north of the country, but also the repression of the Mapuche natives in the south.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Santiago,
Justine Fontaine
The statue of General Manuel Baquedano, right in the center of the Chilean capital, has been vandalized numerous times since the start of the
great movement against social inequalities at the end of 2019.
Last week, it ended up being removed from space public by the authorities.
In full curfew and to the sound of trumpets being played by a line of uniformed soldiers, the black-painted monument was lifted by a crane and sent in a special convoy to be restored soon.
The general and his horse have seen it all for a year and a half.
They were in the middle of the square where the demonstrators in Santiago most often meet.
They were up to 1.5 million around this statue at the height of the social movement against inequalities, and to demand a new Constitution.
The statue was painted entirely in red to symbolize the repression of demonstrators by the police.
At each demonstration, it is covered in political graffiti and against the right-wing government in power.
Some even tried to knock it down and set it on fire.
In response, the authorities have had the general and his horse repainted over and over again, and the monument is guarded day and night by several police patrols.
New Constitution, new Chile
Some people rejoice at the removal of the statue, others see it as a serious symbolic defeat.
The ruling right and the conservatives see this as proof that the police failed to maintain public order and protect the statue, which they see as an important national symbol.
Before it was moved, soldiers nostalgic for the Pinochet dictatorship even gathered in front of the statue to pay homage to General Baquedano.
A little earlier, the Minister of Defense had laid a wreath of flowers there.
► (Re) listen: Chile: new Constitution, new era?
But for supporters of the social movement, this general is a symbol of violence against indigenous peoples.
For several months, they have wanted to think together about what could replace this statue, in the middle of this square which they renamed “
Place de la Dignité
”.
These protesters want a symbol that represents Chile today, because this year
the country will begin to draft a new Constitution.
In line with the social movement, a referendum was organized last October.
Almost 80% of voters voted to draft a new Constitution to replace the current text, inherited from the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.
The Constituent Assembly election is scheduled for April 10-11.
For some, the empty plinth of the statue in the middle of this square has become a symbol of the constitutive process which begins, and which will define the contours of the society in which the Chileans wish to live.
The country could move from the neoliberal economic model imposed under the dictatorship to a still capitalist model, but closer to social democracy.
► (Re) listen: Drop the statues to put an end to racism?
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Chile
History
On the same subject
Decryption
Bring down statues to end racism?
Guest Africa
Settler statues: "The nature of these symbols must be denounced as a structure of domination"
Decryption
Chile: new Constitution, new era?