The UN General Assembly established this date on December 21, 2010, at the urging of organizations from Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay—countries where military dictatorships employed this method against political opponents, social and labor leaders, and grassroots activists.

Furthermore, in coordination with the United States, regimes in the region created Operation Condor, a network designed to persecute, kidnap, and assassinate individuals across national borders.

Enforced disappearance is considered a continuing crime against humanity; this means the crime persists until the victim’s fate is confirmed and their remains are recovered.

In Chile, the number of victims of this practice during the military dictatorship (1973–1990) totals 1,469 people; of these, 1,162 remain missing.

Gaby Rivera, president of the Association of Relatives of Detained-Disappeared Persons, stated that for decades—starting from day one—they have continued the search for their loved ones and fellow activists who fought against the regime imposed by Augusto Pinochet.

She also addressed the issue of denialism, asserting that it did not emerge just six months ago but took root on September 11, 1973, when there was a refusal to acknowledge that thousands of people in Chile were being tortured, murdered, and subjected to enforced disappearance.

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