"To fight is to be young"
Today was "El Día del Joven Combatiente", an unofficial remembrance celebrated every March 29th by the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) here in Chile. It commemorates the 1985 death of two brothers, Rafael and Eduardo Vergara Toledo, ages 18 and 20. As members of the MIR, they were taking part in an anti-Pinochet protest, where they were shot and killed by a group of Carabineros (policemen). Since then, this day of commemoration has escalated into a day of protest, violence, vandalism and overall public disorden. We were warned to avoid certain areas of the city, especially Villa Francia (the site of their death).
I went out yesterday but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I'm not sure yet about what transpired last night...last year one person was killed and a few foreigners were deported for participating in the activities! (And I guess those are improved statistics from past years!) Anyways, here's your brief Chile history lesson for the day.
If you know any more about current MIR opinions & activities...please comment!
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