Baquedano has nothing to do with it

El Líbero, May 31, 2024

It was not Baquedano who caused the spiral of violence that destroyed the center of the capital. Under the guise of social motivations, a segment of society endorsed violence as a method of political action, rejecting the State and the government.

Tomorrow, President Boric will address all Chileans in his third Public Account. However, this important event has been overshadowed by the debate over the location of the Baquedano monument.

The Interior Minister stated that she was “afraid to bring Baquedano back” and added that she would “seek something that brings us peace,” but, in reality, it was not Baquedano who caused the spiral of violence that destroyed the center of the capital. Under the guise of social motivations, a segment of society endorsed violence as a method of political action, rejecting the State and the government. Manuel Baquedano has nothing to do with that.

Associating the monument with an event that divided Chileans is far from what it represents. The general, dressed in uniform and mounted on his horse Diamante, is a tribute to his participation in the War of the Pacific, a military conflict that highlights other military heroes whose values have built Chile.

Values that have nothing to do with what began on that October 18. Almost five years after that violent day, we still remember it, and many point out the divisions that were created around what we call octubrismo.

On the contrary, General Manuel Baquedano held significant positions in political and military history.

But the Baquedano monument is just one of the symbols of the War of the Pacific that the Plaza Italia houses. There also rest the remains of the unknown soldier, a grave that honors all those who enlisted in the Army to fight in that conflict. Thus, the misnamed Plaza de la Dignidad reminds us of a historical fact, the last war Chile fought, a fundamental element of our national identity, of which we should feel nothing but pride.

Over time, it has transformed into a meeting place, whether to celebrate sports or political victories, or to host sporting events like the Formula E in 2018. The social outbreak represents a deep division in society that has polarized through two constitutional processes. Today, after a pandemic and amid a security crisis, that October 18 seems distant, but, the truth is, after listening to the minister, it appears much closer.

Some refer to the relocation of the monument as a way to write our own history, but the truth is that history is singular. It is built upon all those past events that have allowed the State to progress. It is not a matter of placing the general elsewhere because, wherever he is, Manuel Baquedano is a fundamental figure in Chile’s identity, and that square, whatever its name, cannot be separated from all that has been experienced there. For all of this, including the general, reminds us of who we are and what our life lessons have been. It is not just the general or his horse. It is both, and everything that has been lived in that public space.

Source: El Líbero