Legal English IV

Unit 2

Objectives
• Express opinions
• Argument for or against
• Use passive voice structures

Human Rights in Chile

1. Let’s take a look at human rights in Chile and what your opinion is about the following
statements. Choose your option and be ready to explain your decision to the class.

a. Human rights became more relevant in Chile after the coup d’état in 1973.
b. Chilean governments have always taken action against human rights transgressors.
c. In Chile, human rights violators do not necessarily serve a sentence in prison.
d. In democratic governments, human rights are always protected and respected.
e. In Chile, human rights are taught and discussed since you are in school.
f. Nowadays, there are practically no human rights violations in Chile.

1. Totally disagree
2. Mainly disagree
3. Neither agree nor disagree
4. Mainly agree
5. Totally agree

2. Work with your partner and think of events or situations in which human rights have
been violated in Chile.

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3. Before reading the article, work on the following vocabulary exercise related to the coup
d’état in Chile.
Match the concepts to their definitions.

a. coup d’ état a. 1. a great deal of money, property, or possessions.

b. political party b. 2. a reddish-brown metal used as an electrical conductor.
c. wealth c. 3. to name or assign someone officially
d. wage d. 4. to fire someone.
e. copper e. 5. a political group seeking political power to direct the government
policies
f. trade union f. 6. the judicial branch of the government.
g. to appoint g. 7. to plan secretly something hostile or evil.
h. unaware h. 8. the removal of members of an organization who are considered
disloyal or undesirable.
i. to plot i. 9. a sudden and decisive action that results in a forceful change of
government
j. to dismiss j. 10. an association of employees formed to improve their income

and working conditions.

k. purge k. 11. not knowing about something.
l. judiciary l. 12. money paid or received for work or services.

4. Read the first part of an article about the coup d’état in Chile.

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In 1970 Salvador Allende, the leader of the Chilean Socialist Party, was elected
president. He therefore became the first Marxist in the world to gain power in a free
democratic election. The new government faced serious economic problems. Inflation
was running at 30 per cent and over 20 percent of the male adult population were
unemployed. It was estimated that half of the children under 15 suffered from
malnutrition.

Allende decided to take action to redistribute wealth and land in Chile. Wage increases
of around 40 per cent were introduced. At the same time companies were not allowed
to increase prices. The copper industry was nationalized. So also were the banks.
Allende also restored diplomatic relations with Cuba, China and German Democratic
Republic.

In June 1973, Salvador Allende appointed Augusto Pinochet as commander-in-chief of

the Chilean Army. Allende was unaware that Pinochet was plotting with the CIA to
remove him from power. On 11th September 1973, Pinochet led a military coup against
Allende's government. Allende died in the fighting in the presidential palace in
Santiago.

Pinochet immediately closed down the Chilean Parliament, suspended the

constitution, banned all political and trade union activity and imposed strict controls
over the media. Pinochet, who had appointed himself president, ordered a purge of the
left in Chile. Over the next few years more than 3,000 supporters of the Allende regime
were killed.

People in positions of authority who were suspected of holding liberal opinions were
also removed from power. It is estimated that around 10 percent of the Chilean
judiciary were dismissed during this period. Pinochet was also responsible for
thousands of people being tortured and large numbers were forced into exile.

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5. Look at the following sentences, what do they have in common?

a. The 11th of September is commemorated every year in Chile.

b. La Moneda was bombed by the military forces on the 11 th of September in 1973.
c. Before the coup, Chile had been considered an example of democracy.
d. The events that happened in Chile in 1973 will never be forgotten.
e. Democratic elections have taken place in Chile since 1989 when the dictatorship
ended.

6. Identify in the text sentences in passive voice and write them down.

a. ____________________________________________________

b. ____________________________________________________

c. ____________________________________________________

d. ____________________________________________________

e. ____________________________________________________

7. Transform the passive sentences from the exercise above into active sentences.

a. ____________________________________________________

b. ____________________________________________________

c. ____________________________________________________

d. ____________________________________________________

e. ____________________________________________________

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8. Now read the second part of the article and transform the sentences in bold into
passive sentences.

Over the next few years Pinochet, with the help of 400 CIA advisers, privatized the
social and welfare system and destroyed the Chilean trade union movement. Pinochet
also received help from Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government. This
included Britain supplying arms to the regime and blocking attempts by the United
Nations to investigate human rights abuses in Chile.

Augusto Pinochet thought he had completely removed the influence of the left and in
1980 was confident enough to introduce a new national constitution. This established
a timetable for the election of a president.

In October 1988 a referendum took place to decide if Pinochet should be the only
candidate in the forthcoming presidential election. Much to his surprise and dismay,
chilean people rejected this proposal, and he won only 44 per cent of the vote.

In 1989, 55 percent of the country elected Patricio Aylwin, a Christian Democrat, to

become Chile's new president. Pinochet did however remain as commander-in-chief of
the army, a position he was able to use to make sure there were no prosecutions
against any members of the security forces suspected of human rights abuses during
his period of power.

In March 1998 Pinochet resigned as head of the Chilean army but became a senator,
therefore guaranteeing him parliamentary immunity for life. However, later that year,
while on a visit to London, the British police arrested Pinochet, following a request by
judges investigating the torture and disappearance of Spanish citizens during
Pinochet's period in power.

Five Law Lords ruled in December 1998 that Pinochet was not immune from
prosecution. However, the ruling was set aside when it was discovered that one of the
judges had links with Amnesty International. In January 1999 seven Law Lords voted 6-
1 that Pinochet must face extradition to Spain but that he was also immune from
prosecution for crimes committed before 1988. In January 2000, the British home
secretary, Jack Straw, gave permission for Augusto Pinochet to fly home to Chile.

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Write down your passive sentences.

a. __________________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________________________________

e. ___________________________________________________________________

f. ___________________________________________________________________

9. Answer the following questions considering both the first and second part of the
article.

a) What did Allende become when he was elected president in 1970?

b) What economic problems did Allende’s government face?
c) What changes did Allende introduce?
d) What was Pinochet’s plan against Allende?
e) Name three actions Pinochet took when he appointed himself president.
f) How did Margaret Thatcher help Pinochet’s government?
g) What was the result of the referendum that took place in 1988?
h) Why was it convenient for Pinochet to remain as the commander-in-chief of the
army?
i) Why was Pinochet arrested in London?
j) In your opinion, which should have been Pinochet’s sentence for the crimes
committed under his government?
k) What is your opinion on how Allende and Pinochet handled the events occurred in
1973?
l) What do you think about the events that took place during the military regime?
m) Which human rights were violated?