The Comando para el No was a coalition comprising most (16)
opposition political parties, formed to advocate a negative vote in
the October 5, 1988 plebiscite on the continuation of general
Pinochet's rule. Access to the media was gradually eased as the
plebiscite date approached, although attacks on opposition
supporters, including beatings and arrests of during
demonstrations, were reported to have continued. [
Chile:
Human Rights & The Plebiscite, (Washington: Americas
Watch, July 1988), pp. 125-143.] in August, most restrictions on
publications were lifted, and non-government television channels
covered the campaign of the opposition coalition, though reportedly
to a lesser extent than they did the pro-Pinochet campaign. [
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1988,
(Washington: U.S. Department of State, 1989), p. 492.] The official
political campaign for the plebiscite, as stipulated by law, lasted
28 days. [
Human Rights in
Chile, (Toronto:
Inter-Church Committee for Human Rights in Latin America, January
1989), p. 3.] According to the Chilean government, the Comando para
el No raised US$100 2 million from foreign sources for its
campaign. [
Latin American Weekly Report, (London:
Latin American Newsletters), 2 March 1989, backcover.] One of the
major components of the "No" campaign was the access to free
15-minute daily television spots for the opposition.
Country
Reports, p. 492.] A video recording of a judge who denounced
cases of torture, by Chilean authorities, however, was banned by
the government. [
Human Rights in Chile, p. 14.] Apart from
this ban and a reported degree of self-censorship, no other cases
of overt censorship during the campaign are reported among the
sources presently available to the IRBDC.
In the days following the plebiscite, which resulted in the defeat
of President Pinochet's attempt to extend his term in office, some
of the rallies of the supporters of the "No" campaign were
reportedly attacked and arrested during victory celebrations. [
Human Rights in Chile, p. 6.] Later, the Comando para el No
was dissolved as parties concentrated individually for the upcoming
elections.
Some parties which were brought together in
the coalition have continued their alliance. Patricio Alwyn, who
was the official speaker of the Comando para el No and the head of
the Christian Democrat party, is now heading the major opposition
party coalition as presidential candidate for the December 1989
general elections. [ Facts on File, (New York, Facts on
File, Inc.), 24 February 1989, pp. 133-134. ]
Please find attached the following
documents which provide general information on the "Comando para el
No" (Command for the No) activities:
Keesing's Record of World Events,
Volume XXXIV, August 1988, pp. 36094-36095; December 1988, pp.
36344-36345.
Latin America Daily Report,
(Washington, Foreign Broadcast Information Service), 27 January
1989, p. 31.