Pinochet

It is strange looking at Pinochet in the news at the moment. Difficult to imagine that this man was a dictator. He looks so innocent, like a kindly old uncle. Yet he is a man with a horendous history, and many human rights abuses can be laid at his feet. During his reign over 3000 people disappeared. It is hard to know whether it is his actions or the backing of the US government that is the most shocking. I suspect the US government and their role is the biggest crime. The country that prides itself on its constitution has managed to back a lot of places where a constitution is the last thing you can expect to hear of. And it hasn't changed much.

The news from Nicaragua is as strange. How does Ortega manage to get elected back in? In the late 80's Nicaragua was the hot topic of Greenbelt, almost every seminar talked about what was happening, the oppression, the actions of the Sandinistas, the actions of the contras, and again the actions of the US (wherever there is trouble, there is the US). I supported the Sandinistas back then, I was going through a definite "red" phase of politics, and it seemed to me that the US was more about oppression than any other political group. I think there is little question that the majority of the contras were puppets for the US. But attrocities occurred on both sides and massacres were not uncommon. It is hard to know why the Sandinistas lost the election in the end, unpopular becuase of their own actions, because of their failure to make an economy work, or because of the US interference. Doubtful that anyone will know for sure. But Ortega coming back now indicates an interesting change of heart for many and raises interesting questions on how they will progress in the future.