Search Results for: Pinochet

A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. —US President Donald Trump via social media Modern international justice is the product of lessons learned from civilizational destruction. And the language of civilizational destruction has a particular resonance in international law. It [...]

On July 29, 1999, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, a distinguished Sri Lankan Tamil constitutional lawyer, academic, and parliamentarian, was assassinated by the Tamil separatist rebel group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). His killing was in retaliation for his efforts to resolve Sri Lanka’s decades-long ethnic conflict through democratic, power-sharing constitutional reforms within a united [...]

Known for his pivotal role in international election monitoring, constitutional reform, and efforts to resolve Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, Tiruchelvam’s legacy continues to inspire. His tragic death on July 29th, 1999, a consequence of his dedication to democratic solutions, marked a significant loss to the pursuit of justice and inclusivity. This article celebrates his enduring [...]

The First Chamber of the Court of Appeals of Santiago made a unanimous landmark decision on Tuesday to reopen the investigation into Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda’s death. This decision comes in relation to recent developments that cast doubt on the official cause of Neruda’s demise. A judge’s decision in December to reject reopening the case [...]

The presidents of Chile and Mexico held a joint press conference Sunday marking the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Chilean coup where General Augusto Pinochet ousted democratically-elected President Salvador Allende. The  presidents’ appearance followed an initially peaceful march which later saw clashes between civilians and police. On September 11, 1973, Pinochet launched a military coup [...]

Chile’s Congress Wednesday passed a bill proposing a new constitution to replace the nation’s Pinochet-era constitution. The new bill was proposed by Honourable Senators Velásquez, Campillai and Sepúlveda. The bill has now been passed to President Gabriel Boric to be signed into law. The bill will ensure that voters have a significant voice, after a [...]

Chile’s Constitutional Convention Monday presented the final draft of its new constitution to President Gabriel Boric. The new draft will be voted on by Chile’s population. The mandatory vote will ask citizens whether to accept or reject the new constitution. Chile’s current constitution dates back to the 1970s when military dictator Augusto Pinochet was in [...]

Chile’s Constitutional Convention Monday finalized the draft of a new constitution, following 10 months of negotiations. Chilean citizens overwhelmingly voted in October 2020 to draft the new constitution replacing the guiding principles put in place in 1980 under General Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship.  The draft has been heralded for its progressive nature, with it requiring free higher [...]

The Chilean citizenry voted over the weekend in favor of independent candidates to rewrite the constitution. For the first time, voters were invited to have their say on who rewrites their country’s constitution. There will be 155 delegates working on the rewrite in a group called the Constitutional Convention. Most delegates voted in are independent. [...]

The Chilean Senate unanimously approved a bill to reserve 17 of its 155 seats for indigenous communities in its upcoming constitutional convention. The bill provides a fixed number of seats for representatives of certain indigenous communities in the country. Mapuche, the largest indigenous group, will enjoy seven seats. The Senate did not reserve seats for [...]