The demonstrations began on Sunday, with a pilgrimage from Plaza de los Heroes that surrounded La Moneda Palace, seat of the presidency, and then made its way to the General Cemetery.

Despite the low temperatures and the persistent rain, thousands of people participated in the traditional pilgrimage in memory of those killed and disappeared during the 17 years of Augusto Pinochet’s regime (1973-1990).

“Today we are remembering the victims of State terrorism, of the civil-military dictatorship and we say civil because they were the instigators of the coup and enjoy total impunity”, said the president of the Association of Relatives of the Politically Executed, Alicia Lira.

The activist and recipient of the Human Rights and Democracy Medal remembered that 52 years after those events, the whereabouts of more than 1,100 people are still unknown.

Throughout the week, demonstrations also took place at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, at historic sites, including Villa Grimaldi, and at the National Stadium, which served as a concentration camp after the military coup.

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