Uruguay Upholds the Memory of the Struggle Against Dictatorship

On Tuesday, the Inter-Union Workers and the National Workers Convention (PIT-CNT) called upon the citizens to commemorate the victims of the military dictatorship that seized power on June 27, 1973 and ruled Uruguay until March 1, 1985.

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The workers will hold a four-hour general strike starting at 9:00 a.m. and march from La Teja, an emblematic popular neighborhood, to Carlos Maria Ramirez and Carlos Tellier avenues.

Fifty years ago, the then-President Juan Maria Bordaberry shut down parliament and handed power over to the military. This event "launched a 12-year reign of State terror characterized by widespread torture, political imprisonment, massive displacement, and censorship," NACLA recalled.

This coup d'état was another piece of the U.S. "Condor Operation," which allowed Washington to coordinate the establishment of dictatorships in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

To achieve this goal, the U.S. promoted the "National Security Doctrine" among the South American armed forces, positioning the military as guarantors of peace against the threat of communism.

The tweet reads, "On Monday night, Uruguay ratified its democratic commitment by remembering the 50th anniversary of the coup that gave way to the last dictatorship."

Such a doctrine aimed at repressing left-wing organizations and social organizations. In Uruguay, the working class organized a major national strike on June 27, 1973.

PIT-CNT Vice President Jose Lopez declared that this Tuesday will also be a day of remembrance and struggle, as labor unions always defend rights and freedoms.

"The 1973 strike did not emerge overnight, as it had been discussed and prepared for a long time. In that context, something similar to what is happening now was coming together because amidst the situation the country was facing, the unions were demanding a different vision for the nation," he said.

On Monday night, the Senate held a special session in which it reiterated that Uruguayans do not want "never again" a military dictatorship. During this event, a documentary was also broadcast, commemorating the fifty years since the closure of the Congress.