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Pinochet and Me: A Chilean Anti-Memoir
The earthshaking news of October 1998 that General Pinochet had been arrested in Britain unleashed two years of international interest in the case and its ramifications for traveling tyrants the world over. But even after the General’s return home, the media has ignored the more important story of how his detention lifted a stranglehold that had suffocated Chile’s moral sensibility for a generation.
Award-winning journalist Marc Cooper was a translator to President Allende until the coup of 1973. In this reflection on Chile and the role it has played in his life, he reconstructs the tense atmosphere of the final days of the Allende government, including his hiding and subsequent evacuation under armed UN protection. Twenty-five years later he returns and recounts, in vivid street-level reporting, a country that is a democracy in name only and a society that has been transfigured by one of the most radical, armed capitalist revolutions of our time. Yet, he argues, spasms of protest that seemed like the last rattle of the snake may still presage the crumbling of Chile’s status quo as its people emerge from the long night of reaction to the cry of “Adios General!”
Award-winning journalist Marc Cooper was a translator to President Allende until the coup of 1973. In this reflection on Chile and the role it has played in his life, he reconstructs the tense atmosphere of the final days of the Allende government, including his hiding and subsequent evacuation under armed UN protection. Twenty-five years later he returns and recounts, in vivid street-level reporting, a country that is a democracy in name only and a society that has been transfigured by one of the most radical, armed capitalist revolutions of our time. Yet, he argues, spasms of protest that seemed like the last rattle of the snake may still presage the crumbling of Chile’s status quo as its people emerge from the long night of reaction to the cry of “Adios General!”
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 3, 2024
Read this in a day fueled by anger. A painful reminder that no matter in what regard you attempt socialism, the US and capital will murder, stifle, poison, choke, starve and beat you with fascism.
FUCK Henry Kissinger and the CIA.
FUCK Henry Kissinger and the CIA.
January 6, 2013
Marxist perspective on Chile's rise from socialism. A good account of the tragedies of political tyranny under Pinochet, and a whitewashing of the tragedies of economic tyranny under Allende (or, for that matter, of the political tyranny under Castro).
This book should be read only by those who are able to see through the Marxist perspective; such people can play a fun game of spotting the bias. Here are two of the easier examples:
page 104 - "I knew [Cristian Lebbe's] father, who was also a colonel until Allende sacked him after he refused to salute Fidel Castro visiting back in 1971."
page 33 - "My only chance of transport that morning was with my friends at RadioTaxi 33. Militant revolutionaries, the drivers there had long ago seized the company from its conservative owners..."
This book should be read only by those who are able to see through the Marxist perspective; such people can play a fun game of spotting the bias. Here are two of the easier examples:
page 104 - "I knew [Cristian Lebbe's] father, who was also a colonel until Allende sacked him after he refused to salute Fidel Castro visiting back in 1971."
page 33 - "My only chance of transport that morning was with my friends at RadioTaxi 33. Militant revolutionaries, the drivers there had long ago seized the company from its conservative owners..."
May 24, 2023
Good overview of what happened from someone who was on the front lines, the author worked for Allende as a translator.
When Allende was elected, it brought hope to the rest of Latin America, as it proved that it was possible for radical social change to happen through democratic means, as opposed to violent revolution (e.g. Cuba).
Once elected Allende quickly nationalized the American copper mines and phone company, handed over oligarch's estates to their share croppers, had rents lowered and taxes on the rich increased. In circumstances where he wasn't able to give the means of production to the workers from interference by Congress, the workers took matters into their own hands and seized the farms or factories themselves. In response, oil pipelines were dynamited, the wealthy hoarded food and other consumer goods while protesting the resulting shortage, industrial production was sabotaged, and powerful forces worked behind the scenes to put an end to it all.
In addition to the internal strife, the CIA made its own efforts to sabotage the Allende government, since the US didn't like Chile's resources being nationalized instead of being open to exploitation by the US and other imperial powers, as was the custom in the rest of Latin America. The Chilean economy was squeezed by Nixon and the CIA planted discontent among the people, among other things.
On September 11, 1973, tensions finally boiled over and Pinochet put an end to it all. After the successful coup and the death of Allende, they occupied every major city, killed and tortured dissidents in concentration camps throughout the country, and imposed a 17-year long fascist dictatorship.
More than anything, this series of events serve as a warning and a lesson for those of us who wish to see a more just world and how to not go about getting it. Allende's efforts were doomed from the start simply because it was an attempt to destroy a system by using the system itself. The police, the court system, the public bureaucracy, the armed forces, etc. all serve as representatives of the system and the country's wealthy elite. They may play along to keep up appearances for a while, but once the system they represent is threatened and they're called upon to protect it, they will not hesitate to act. Perhaps we should seek alternative methods of liberation if we want to succeed.
When Allende was elected, it brought hope to the rest of Latin America, as it proved that it was possible for radical social change to happen through democratic means, as opposed to violent revolution (e.g. Cuba).
Once elected Allende quickly nationalized the American copper mines and phone company, handed over oligarch's estates to their share croppers, had rents lowered and taxes on the rich increased. In circumstances where he wasn't able to give the means of production to the workers from interference by Congress, the workers took matters into their own hands and seized the farms or factories themselves. In response, oil pipelines were dynamited, the wealthy hoarded food and other consumer goods while protesting the resulting shortage, industrial production was sabotaged, and powerful forces worked behind the scenes to put an end to it all.
In addition to the internal strife, the CIA made its own efforts to sabotage the Allende government, since the US didn't like Chile's resources being nationalized instead of being open to exploitation by the US and other imperial powers, as was the custom in the rest of Latin America. The Chilean economy was squeezed by Nixon and the CIA planted discontent among the people, among other things.
On September 11, 1973, tensions finally boiled over and Pinochet put an end to it all. After the successful coup and the death of Allende, they occupied every major city, killed and tortured dissidents in concentration camps throughout the country, and imposed a 17-year long fascist dictatorship.
More than anything, this series of events serve as a warning and a lesson for those of us who wish to see a more just world and how to not go about getting it. Allende's efforts were doomed from the start simply because it was an attempt to destroy a system by using the system itself. The police, the court system, the public bureaucracy, the armed forces, etc. all serve as representatives of the system and the country's wealthy elite. They may play along to keep up appearances for a while, but once the system they represent is threatened and they're called upon to protect it, they will not hesitate to act. Perhaps we should seek alternative methods of liberation if we want to succeed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2025
This is a great (anti) memoir of what it looks like from within the Allende administration in the days leading up to the coup and his ultimate death on Sep 11, 1973.
That said, this definitely feels a bit biased/incomplete in its lack of critical survey of the state of the Chilean economy leading up to 1973. Chile was also undergoing economic turmoil (just like it would in 10 years under Pinochet) - rampant hyperinflation leading to inability to pay its debts, lack of access to foreign credit (thanks to the CIA/Kissinger), and supply shocks due to falling copper prices led to its early 70s crisis. Cooper claims that the Chicago-boys' neoliberal economic policies were an unmitigated disaster, but it definitely helped stabilize the economy in the 70s.
Funnily enough, the same underlying problems would arise again in the 80s, this time exacerbated by the regulation free neoliberal market policies (the exact opposite of Allende) - supply shocks on copper prices (same trigger as a decade ago), general Latin American financial crisis meant tightening of credits available to Chile (no thanks, for once, to the CIA/Kissinger), and the higher interest rates of the US federal reserve combined with the lowering of the value of the Chilean peso due to trade imbalance (thanks to the lack of banking regulations)/copper crash made it so it became difficult to pay back its debts in USD. Almost the same exact problems that Allende faced 10 years ago. Of course, Allende ensured that food distribution and rationing were top of mind, something that Pinochet couldn't give a fart about in favor of heavy suppression of any dissidence.
Regardless, the harrowing account of the coup alone is worth the read. I recommend this to anyone (like me as well) hoping to understand more about the biggest pivotal moment of the 20th century that made Chile what it is today. It's also a little distressing to hear the rise of Pinochet's popularity today :(
(Read between naps after a night bus down from La Paz to Sucre, T-6 days to Chile!)
That said, this definitely feels a bit biased/incomplete in its lack of critical survey of the state of the Chilean economy leading up to 1973. Chile was also undergoing economic turmoil (just like it would in 10 years under Pinochet) - rampant hyperinflation leading to inability to pay its debts, lack of access to foreign credit (thanks to the CIA/Kissinger), and supply shocks due to falling copper prices led to its early 70s crisis. Cooper claims that the Chicago-boys' neoliberal economic policies were an unmitigated disaster, but it definitely helped stabilize the economy in the 70s.
Funnily enough, the same underlying problems would arise again in the 80s, this time exacerbated by the regulation free neoliberal market policies (the exact opposite of Allende) - supply shocks on copper prices (same trigger as a decade ago), general Latin American financial crisis meant tightening of credits available to Chile (no thanks, for once, to the CIA/Kissinger), and the higher interest rates of the US federal reserve combined with the lowering of the value of the Chilean peso due to trade imbalance (thanks to the lack of banking regulations)/copper crash made it so it became difficult to pay back its debts in USD. Almost the same exact problems that Allende faced 10 years ago. Of course, Allende ensured that food distribution and rationing were top of mind, something that Pinochet couldn't give a fart about in favor of heavy suppression of any dissidence.
Regardless, the harrowing account of the coup alone is worth the read. I recommend this to anyone (like me as well) hoping to understand more about the biggest pivotal moment of the 20th century that made Chile what it is today. It's also a little distressing to hear the rise of Pinochet's popularity today :(
(Read between naps after a night bus down from La Paz to Sucre, T-6 days to Chile!)
February 8, 2021
This book is a first-person account of the 1973 Chilean military coup lead by Augusto Pinochet and perpetrated by the military and the minority conservative elites. The author, who is now a seasoned journalist and retired professor of journalism, was then a young man and a translator for President Allende.
I won't go into details, this is a short book and well worth the time it takes to read. It's a completely factual tale of recent history that should send shivers down the spines of anyone living in what we might think is a liberal democracy. Pinochet's coup happened with the documented assistance of the United State's government. And the subsequent dismantling of the emerging socialist economy was fueled heavily on economic experiments of the famous/infamous Chicago School. Thousands of people "disappeared." And while it should come as no surprise to any thinking American, what's perhaps more shocking than the killings and the takeover was the dismissive attitude of a large number of Chileans toward the violent coup. Bubbles of reality were defined to a great degree by class status and political affiliation.
The book doesn't end with the coup, but goes on to briefly cover, in mostly first person accounts, the quarter century of aftermath. Cooper's prose is concise and allows a crisp pace that feels appropriate with the subject. This 20-year-old book in 2021 feels at times like a mirror.
I won't go into details, this is a short book and well worth the time it takes to read. It's a completely factual tale of recent history that should send shivers down the spines of anyone living in what we might think is a liberal democracy. Pinochet's coup happened with the documented assistance of the United State's government. And the subsequent dismantling of the emerging socialist economy was fueled heavily on economic experiments of the famous/infamous Chicago School. Thousands of people "disappeared." And while it should come as no surprise to any thinking American, what's perhaps more shocking than the killings and the takeover was the dismissive attitude of a large number of Chileans toward the violent coup. Bubbles of reality were defined to a great degree by class status and political affiliation.
The book doesn't end with the coup, but goes on to briefly cover, in mostly first person accounts, the quarter century of aftermath. Cooper's prose is concise and allows a crisp pace that feels appropriate with the subject. This 20-year-old book in 2021 feels at times like a mirror.
July 30, 2019
Presented in a journal format, this book was easy to read even for those unfamiliar with the intricacies of Chilean political and economic climate. This is a book with specific opinions, which is exactly what I liked about it – the perspective runs perpendicular to traditional concepts which makes it an intriguing learning experience. As with most opinion-based nonfiction, parts of this book should be taken with a grain of salt, but overall the writing and story-telling aspects of it made this well-worth the read.
June 29, 2023
A brief yet revealing history lesson on Chile’s darkest hours. An important reminder of how collective memories (or amnesia) of the past directly affect the future.
Even though this book was written 20 years ago, many events in the book eerily reflect the current state of the world. More specifically, the US backing of right-wing bloodletting despots, such as Duterte, Bolsonaro, Mohammad bin Salman.
Even though this book was written 20 years ago, many events in the book eerily reflect the current state of the world. More specifically, the US backing of right-wing bloodletting despots, such as Duterte, Bolsonaro, Mohammad bin Salman.
July 31, 2008
4 years after reading the book, it's forever on my list of all-time favorite books. This book completely changed the direction of my senior thesis, giving me the first person narrative that I needed to truly understand the Chilean conflict.
January 31, 2021
Pinochet' Leaves Legacy of Inequality - Progressive Populisthttps://www.populist.com › 07.2.bybee.html
Roger Bybee. Pinochet' Leaves Legacy of Inequality. Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet now lies dead in his coffin at 91, disgraced by ever-expanding ...
REVIEW: 'Pinochet and Me' - ZCommunicationshttps://zcomm.org › znetarticle › review-pinochet-and-...
BOOK REVIEW/Roger Bybee. 'Pinochet and Me: An Anti-Memoir'. Sept. 11, 1973: a day that the empire struck back, with a vengeance. If there is a single image ...
Four Decades After the First 9-11 in Chile - ZCommunicationshttps://zcomm.org › znetarticle › four-decades-after-the...
Sep 27, 2013 — By Roger Bybee · PDF Version ... In f
November 7, 2020
Very enlightening. I appreciated that the book is both a personal story, and insights from a journalist. It made it accessible. It was so helpful to learn about actual things that happened from people who witnessed it.
August 18, 2018
A quick read that is an American journalist’s poignant memoir of his experience with the Allende presidency and Pinochet coup and dictatorship. Required reading for spending a semester in Chile.
January 18, 2020
gorgeous and informative, shatteringly tense at times. could have benefited from some endnotes
April 30, 2020
Interesting overview of Pinochet.
December 31, 2021
The changes that took place in Chile are hard to comprehend. The author provides an interesting first hand perspective.
May 16, 2022
very interesting view on the Allende coup
January 13, 2024
Long live the people. Absolutely heartbreaking
February 20, 2017
This is a quick read--an overview of the writer's experiences from landing in Chile about a year or so before Allende was killed, through working as a translator for Allende, the rise of Pinochet, etc., until the date of publication. It definitely doesn't tell you all you need or want to know, but it gives a decent overview which makes the timeline of events (and basic gist of who/what/when/where/why/how) easy to follow without the reader getting lost in the details.
August 29, 2016
I knew a little about Allende, Pinochet, and the military dictatorship in Chile going into this memoir and found it a great way to learn more. The memoir gives a great overview of what went on and packs some excellent one-liners. On the downside, Cooper uses some political jargon that may alienate some readers. I would have liked it if he had explained some of the political terms more, but I guess he's writing for a more politically educated audience than me. He also needed a better editor. I found several typos, unacceptable in a book less than 200 pages.
September 3, 2008
A great distillation of 30 years worth of Chilean history that's personal and fun to read. Doesn't cover everything, obviously, but it's a good place to start. His book on Las Vegas, Last Honest Place in America is great too, the best book on the subject I've read, and I've read most of them.
February 20, 2010
This is perhaps one of the most moving political memoirs I've read in my whole life.
I need to read it again, I haven't read it since 2006 and was just thinking of it. I will update this review when I read it again.
I need to read it again, I haven't read it since 2006 and was just thinking of it. I will update this review when I read it again.
October 24, 2007
Memoir by an American journalist living in Chile at the time of the 1973 coup.
December 13, 2007
Short, brief - Not good for those who don't know the details of the coup/dictatorship. A good if sad little memoir for those who do.
January 13, 2009
A great read, and a great insight into Chile at the time.
August 13, 2011
I read this as background to prepare for a trip to Chile, and it definitely helped add both a personal and political layer to my understanding of the Pinochet years.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews