Human Rights Violations In The Southern Cone Essay

Human Rights Violations in the Southern Cone Some of the most notable and infamous human rights abuses in the post World War II era occurred in South America during the Dirty War, a period of strict military regimes ruling in the Southern Cone, in countries such as Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, in the 1970s and 1980s. Since its independence, Argentina always had some aspect of violence involved in its politics. In the early years, neighboring caudillos would fight each other over borders and political strength. Then, later on, no elected leader or president could stay in power for an extended period of time, before the military felt threatened and decided the ruler needed to be overthrown (Donnelly 58). Chile never really had a problem with military rule until the Allende regime. Salvador Allende was the first democratically elected Marxist, who happened to come to power during the Cold War. Allende strengthened the social reforms that were implemented by his predecessor. Not every Chilean agreed with Allende’s politics, which led to increased political polarization, and an eventual coup. The coup established a despotic regime that ruled for nearly two decades (Donnelly 58). Like

All human beings are entitled to a life of dignity, as well as the right against torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Certain acts committed by the military such as torturing parents in front of their children or forcing a person to strip and then electrically shocking them, definitely prohibited their victims from having any sense of self-respect or dignity (Donnelly 59). Additionally, all human beings have the right to life, liberty, and the security of persons, and all of those rights were violated through the practice of disappearances. The kidnappings and disappearances as well as treatment of prisoners in the clandestine detention centers violate a person’s right to be recognized as a person before the