Caravan Of Death: Chilean Death Squads Arrested For Murders
The caravan of death is the name given to Chilean death squads that executed political opponents of Chile’s dictator Pinochet.
In a related report by The Inquisitr, Honduras death squads are claimed to be fighting a secret war against gang members by having them executed in the streets. But what troubles some is the allegations that these troops are being backed by the United States.
After the infamous dictator Augusto Pinochet’s coup over Socialist president Salvador Allende in 1973, the so-called caravan of death toured the country of Chile via helicopter and rained down judgment on anyone who dared question Pinochet’s reign of 17 years. It’s estimated that at least 3,000 were murdered and another 38,000 were tortured for being political opponents.
Six of these victims were recently found in a an unmarked mass grave. Forensics teams have determined they were all shot to death. The people who died were diverse and varied, ranging from journalists to chauffeurs, but all of them were political opponents of Pinochet.
General Sergio Arellano Stark, who led the caravan of death, was sentenced to years of prison for his part in the murders but did not serve any time after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Just this past week, authorities in Chile arrested four ex-army officers who allegedly murdered prisoners by mixing a deadly poison into their food. The four suspects are also being investigated for the death of ex-Chilean President Eduardo Frei Montalva, who died in 1982 during a supposedly routine hospital visit.
Many who lived through the caravan of death and other terrors have long been silent about what occurred during their lifetime. But now that the 40th anniversary has come, some people have begun to tell their stories to the world. One of these stories is told in a documentary called Black Box that recounts a father’s struggles to his son:
