Chilean Govt erases word "Dictatorship" in Textbooks

Updated on: Friday, January 06, 2012

The Chilean government has replaced the word "dictatorship" with "military regime" in primary school history textbooks in reference to Augusto Pinochet's administration (1973-1990), leading to an uproar from the opposition parties.
 
The decision was taken by the Ministry of Education in order to teach students from first to sixth grade "an expression which is more in tune with the rest of the world".
 
"The word military regime is more generally used," the recently appointed minister of Education Harald Beyer said.
 
In criticism of the government's decision, President of Chile's Socialist Party Osvaldo Andrade said that the move was an attempt to whitewash history.
 
"What Chile lived was dictatorship, no matter how they call it," he said.
 
Maria Antonieta Saa, lawmaker from the opposition 'Party for Democracy', said that the ministry wants to distort history and spread lies.
 
Communist Party Deputy Hugo Gutierrez agreed with Saa's statement saying that there is a clear attempt by the ruling right wing at reinterpreting the homeland's history.
 
Augusto Pinochet's 17-year rule ended in 1990 which was characterized by suppression of political parties and dissidents.

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