Before the CIA-supported 1973 coup that placed Pinochet in power, Chile enjoyed democracy for several decades. Remarkably, after less than a decade of Pinochet's brutal repression of his people, Chileans were able to slowly introduce changes that lay the foundation for the eventual return of democracy. This is a huge national accomplishment. 

In this episode, Dr. Claudio Fuentes takes us through the history of Chile's polarized politics from prior to 1973 to 2022. Despite this polarization, Chile's democracy has survived. Perhaps the reason is that Chileans have experienced the alternative to democracy: Pinochet's years. 

As our politics become more polarized here in the U.S., we can learn quite a lot from Chile, in how fragile democracy is, in how polarization can destroy democracy. 

Dr. Fuentes is a professor at the School of Political Science at Diego Portales University in Chile. His academic interests focus on the study of political processes in Chile and Latin America, and in recent years on the study of the dynamics of institutional change.

Among his many other recognitions, Dr. Fuentes won the award for the best doctoral thesis awarded by the American Political Science Association (APSA) and is a Luksic Fellow at Harvard University (2011). In Chile, was a member of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (2015).

He is an associate researcher at the Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Studies (CIIR) and coordinates the Constitutional Laboratory at Diego Portales University.

To learn more about Dr. Fuentes, you can visit his academic homepage.

In addition, below are links to other episodes about U.S. interests, interference and even occupation of countries and nations in the Americas: 

S2E35: Puerto Rico, Dr. Jorge Duany

S1E24: Cuba's History, Dr. Lillian Guerra

S1E23: Haiti's History, Dr. Robert Fatton

I hope you enjoy these episodes.

Adel

Host of the History Behind News podcast

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