The Legacy Project: Chile/Argentina: Memory Sites with Pedro Matta

There is a moment on every Legacy Project trip when one is finally struck by the realization that he is no longer studying a detached and distant history, but actually walking through something real, pernicious, and potent. This is not a matter of academic curiosity, but rather life and death. Mr. Matta, a survivor of Chile's most notorious torture camp, Villa Grimaldi, led us through this site of terrible memories, as well as Santiago's General Cemetery. None of us emerged unchanged.

Villa Grimaldi was originally built in the 1830s for the aristocratic Arrieta family. Over the years, it changed hands, ultimately ending up under the ownership of Emilio Vasallo, an Italian. His brother, Carlos, was a close friend of Salvador Allende's; as a result, Villa Grimaldi became a popular setting for progressive gatherings. It also thus became a major target of the military following the golpe and was seized by government forces in short order.

At the time, Villa Grimaldi was somewhat isolated and yet also quite strategic. Santiago proper ended roughly half a mile down the road, ensuring that few witnesses would be likely in the area. One kilometer to the west was a military unit; in the other direction was an airfield. Prisoners could be surreptitiously transferred to the base by military vehicle, tortured in secure isolation, and then flown to their eventual demise, all without raising suspicion.

Chileans targeted by Pinochet's secret police, DINA, would typically be roused in the middle of the night. Two Chevrolet trucks loaded with 10-15 agents arrived at their homes, swiftly took the suspects in custody, and drove straight to Villa Grimaldi. Once there, the trucks passed through the detention center's front gates, parked behind the three-meter high walls, and unloaded the prisoner. Around 15 people immediately "greeted" the new arrival with what they called the "bienvenida" - a heavy beating delivered in complete silence, with no questions asked or statements made.

Upon completion, the bloodied prisoner was taken to the first torture cell, the parrilla (grill), where 8-10 torturers would order him/her (for simplicity, I will just use the masculine pronouns from here on out, but there were male and female victims) to undress rapidly. Bound to a metal cart, the prisoner would be tortured with electricity. He was instructed to move a finger when willing to talk, but answering questions brought no help or comfort - the torment would continue regardless for the full 1-3 hours.

Electrocution was only half of the torture in this session. This abuse caused the expulsion of liquid from every pore, producing severe dehydration. However, following extensive electro-shock, the victim could not drink water as it would likely cause a heart attack. Instead, he had to suffer incredible thirst for an additional 5-7 hours. Heart attacks were also possible during the torture session; as such, the torturers were trained in recognizing the early warning signs and knowing when to dial back the punishment. The torturers would be disciplined if they killed their prisoners, sometimes losing an opportunity for promotion or a weekend off for such mistakes.

Next, the prisoner was taken to the men's cell. Isolated in a tiny room, bound to the bunkbed and blindfolded, the prisoner was only taken outside twice a day - once at lunch, when he had three minutes to eat the torturers' leftovers and once at 3pm, when he was taken to the latrine. Torture was possible at all hours.

As the period of imprisonment and torture continued, nearly all prisoners would be compelled to talk, or "collaborate." Pedro was insistent on this point, saying "I don't want to build mythology" - the notion of the noble, tight-lipped revolutionary is bogus. Under torture, everyone talks, eventually. In his research, he had identified four types of experiences. The majority of those tortured gave some information in the middle of the torture session. Others continued to provide information after the session concluded. Some tried to negotiate, offering certain material in exchange for improved treatment or release. Finally, a very small group became full-fledged collaborators. These people were broken during their imprisonment and converted, and in their new role helped to arrest and torture former comrades.

Pedro explained that he does not judge his fellow prisoners, nor does he impugn the characters of those who collaborated. He told us a story about a fellow victim of the military dictatorship who had become a collaborator and, at one point, tried to get information out of Matta. When Pedro realized that he was being set up, he backed away from the man. Knowing that his cover was blown, the man tried to explain himself. After being taken prisoner, he was tortured. Then, they brought in his wife and tortured her. Then, they brought in his baby and tortured it. He turned to Pedro and asked, "What would you have done?" Pedro couldn't answer that question and thus realized he couldn't judge any man or woman for how they reacted under those conditions.

Once prisoners provided information to the interrogators, the guards had to choose if they would live or die. If the prisoners were dangerous (influential), they would be killed. Typically, this meant being tranquilized by a doctor, placed on a helicopter, tied to a train rail, and pushed into the ocean. If the prisoners were not considered threatening, they were transferred to the incommunicado pavilion, where they regained their health and waited to finally be cleared for re-entry into the "free" world.

Non-collaborators faced a variety of painful punishments. Some were kept standing for cells one square meter in size. They had no access to latrines and minimal food was delivered to the room. Some were clapped on the ears repeatedly, which would rupture eardrums and destroy a person's balance for 7-10 days. Others were submarined - heads submerged in a trough full of foul water, filled with fecal matter, until they gasped for air. If all else failed, prisoners were subjected to "the truck," in which a guard drove his vehicle over their legs, shattering them. Then, a doctor manipulated the fractures, causing incredible pain and, down the road, typically gangrene as well.

Women and men received the same treatment, with only a few minor differences. First, women were kept in one common cell and were not blind-folded. Thus, female prisoners display very close bonds which do not exist to the same extent among male prisoners. Second, while both men and women were sexually violated and abused, women were particularly targeted in this regard. In the back-right corner, women were tied up and had their genitals burned, while DINA members laughed jovially. Others were taken to the rose garden, where they were raped. Perhaps most ghastly of all, dogs were trained to rape female prisoners.

In the back-left corner stands the guard tower, which was actually reconstructed in recent years. Inside, the former water cistern was converted into an isolation chamber. The building also contains a torture room and several small prison cells. Prisoners equated the guard tower with a death sentence, as most who entered disappeared soon after. Standing in front of this building, Pedro told us about one of the few known survivors. Lying in isolation, she recalled feeling urine drip down on her from above while, at the same time, a breeze carried the pleasant scent of roses from the garden. Villa Grimaldi was rife with absurd juxtapositions like this. Indeed, other prisoners, recently tortured, remembered female DINA agents sunbathing around the swimming pool, clinking glasses.

Pedro was prisoner #209 of Villa Grimaldi, arriving in May 1975. His release, 13 months later, was a matter of sheer luck. As the Pinochet government engaged in international talks, it decided to release a small number of prisoners as a show of good faith; Pedro was one of those prisoners freed. Soon after, he moved to the US as a political prisoner and was granted asylum.

Comparing Chile to Argentina, Pedro noted that one of the great differences between the two was that, while most prisoners in Argentina were killed, most in Chile lived. Indeed, out of roughly 5000 prisoners in Villa Grimaldi, only 240 died. Pedro theorizes, though, that this was a strategic move by Pinochet's government. When he was freed, Pedro described himself as a "zombie," a "walking message of terror." And, it followed that, "when you free several hundred zombies, certainly that is a very effective way of terrorizing society."

This is one key message to take from Villa Grimaldi - trauma doesn't end with the traumatizing event. Often, it becomes self-perpetuating, spreading from the direct victims to those with whom they come in contact.

-----------------------------------------------

After Villa Grimaldi, Pedro took us to Santiago's General Cemetery. It's a massive complex; one would need at least a full day to see everything. Five million people are buried there with more added every year, despite the fact that there are no vacancies. The cemetery uses a practice called "reductions," in which bones are moved into smaller coffins when decomposition is completed (which, in Santiago, takes 23 years).

Pedro explained that the cemetery, through its organization, reflects the severe social stratification that has long plagued the country. Santiago's wealthy aristocratic families have ornate burial complexes near the front entrance, with the most illustrious clans situated immediately adjacent to Allende's tomb (a bitter irony in its own right). Cross the road and one leaves the upper class, heading into the middle class neighborhood. The fine sculptures and large chambers give way to respectable, modest tombs, many of which have been recently adorned with fresh-cut flowers. Keep walking, and one eventually reaches a ramshackle section, where the poorest families butt up against the unmarked burial site of many victims of the dictatorship. Families burying their loved ones here often cannot buy the spot outright, but instead lease it; failure to make payment will result in the remains being transferred to a mass grave.

For Pedro Matta, neither progressive social activists nor poor Chileans should ever be in such a position.

	Argentina/Chile: Pedro Matta
Home	There is a moment on every Legacy Project trip when one is finally struck by the realization that he is no longer studying a detached and distant history, but actually walking through something real, pernicious, and potent. This is not a matter of academic curiosity, but rather life and death. Mr. Matta, a survivor of Chile's most notorious torture camp, Villa Grimaldi, led us through this site of terrible memories, as well as Santiago's General Cemetery. None of us emerged unchanged. Villa Grimaldi was originally built in the 1830s for the aristocratic Arrieta family. Over the years, it changed hands, ultimately ending up under the ownership of Emilio Vasallo, an Italian. His brother, Carlos, was a close friend of Salvador Allende's; as a result, Villa Grimaldi became a popular setting for progressive gatherings. It also thus became a major target of the military following the golpe and was seized by government forces in short order. At the time, Villa Grimaldi was somewhat isolated and yet also quite strategic. Santiago proper ended roughly half a mile down the road, ensuring that few witnesses would be likely in the area. One kilometer to the west was a military unit; in the other direction was an airfield. Prisoners could be surreptitiously transferred to the base by military vehicle, tortured in secure isolation, and then flown to their eventual demise, all without raising suspicion. Chileans targeted by Pinochet's secret police, DINA, would typically be roused in the middle of the night. Two Chevrolet trucks loaded with 10-15 agents arrived at their homes, swiftly took the suspects in custody, and drove straight to Villa Grimaldi. Once there, the trucks passed through the detention center's front gates, parked behind the three-meter high walls, and unloaded the prisoner. Around 15 people immediately "greeted" the new arrival with what they called the "bienvenida" - a heavy beating delivered in complete silence, with no questions asked or statements made. Upon completion, the bloodied prisoner was taken to the first torture cell, the parrilla (grill), where 8-10 torturers would order him/her (for simplicity, I will just use the masculine pronouns from here on out, but there were male and female victims) to undress rapidly. Bound to a metal cart, the prisoner would be tortured with electricity. He was instructed to move a finger when willing to talk, but answering questions brought no help or comfort - the torment would continue regardless for the full 1-3 hours. Electrocution was only half of the torture in this session. This abuse caused the expulsion of liquid from every pore, producing severe dehydration. However, following extensive electro-shock, the victim could not drink water as it would likely cause a heart attack. Instead, he had to suffer incredible thirst for an additional 5-7 hours. Heart attacks were also possible during the torture session; as such, the torturers were trained in recognizing the early warning signs and knowing when to dial back the punishment. The torturers would be disciplined if they killed their prisoners, sometimes losing an opportunity for promotion or a weekend off for such mistakes. Next, the prisoner was taken to the men's cell. Isolated in a tiny room, bound to the bunkbed and blindfolded, the prisoner was only taken outside twice a day - once at lunch, when he had three minutes to eat the torturers' leftovers and once at 3pm, when he was taken to the latrine. Torture was possible at all hours. As the period of imprisonment and torture continued, nearly all prisoners would be compelled to talk, or "collaborate." Pedro was insistent on this point, saying "I don't want to build mythology" - the notion of the noble, tight-lipped revolutionary is bogus. Under torture, everyone talks, eventually. In his research, he had identified four types of experiences. The majority of those tortured gave some information in the middle of the torture session. Others continued to provide information after the session concluded. Some tried to negotiate, offering certain material in exchange for improved treatment or release. Finally, a very small group became full-fledged collaborators. These people were broken during their imprisonment and converted, and in their new role helped to arrest and torture former comrades. Pedro explained that he does not judge his fellow prisoners, nor does he impugn the characters of those who collaborated. He told us a story about a fellow victim of the military dictatorship who had become a collaborator and, at one point, tried to get information out of Matta. When Pedro realized that he was being set up, he backed away from the man. Knowing that his cover was blown, the man tried to explain himself. After being taken prisoner, he was tortured. Then, they brought in his wife and tortured her. Then, they brought in his baby and tortured it. He turned to Pedro and asked, "What would you have done?" Pedro couldn't answer that question and thus realized he couldn't judge any man or woman for how they reacted under those conditions. Once prisoners provided information to the interrogators, the guards had to choose if they would live or die. If the prisoners were dangerous (influential), they would be killed. Typically, this meant being tranquilized by a doctor, placed on a helicopter, tied to a train rail, and pushed into the ocean. If the prisoners were not considered threatening, they were transferred to the incommunicado pavilion, where they regained their health and waited to finally be cleared for re-entry into the "free" world. Non-collaborators faced a variety of painful punishments. Some were kept standing for cells one square meter in size. They had no access to latrines and minimal food was delivered to the room. Some were clapped on the ears repeatedly, which would rupture eardrums and destroy a person's balance for 7-10 days. Others were submarined - heads submerged in a trough full of foul water, filled with fecal matter, until they gasped for air. If all else failed, prisoners were subjected to "the truck," in which a guard drove his vehicle over their legs, shattering them. Then, a doctor manipulated the fractures, causing incredible pain and, down the road, typically gangrene as well. Women and men received the same treatment, with only a few minor differences. First, women were kept in one common cell and were not blind-folded. Thus, female prisoners display very close bonds which do not exist to the same extent among male prisoners. Second, while both men and women were sexually violated and abused, women were particularly targeted in this regard. In the back-right corner, women were tied up and had their genitals burned, while DINA members laughed jovially. Others were taken to the rose garden, where they were raped. Perhaps most ghastly of all, dogs were trained to rape female prisoners. In the back-left corner stands the guard tower, which was actually reconstructed in recent years. Inside, the former water cistern was converted into an isolation chamber. The building also contains a torture room and several small prison cells. Prisoners equated the guard tower with a death sentence, as most who entered disappeared soon after. Standing in front of this building, Pedro told us about one of the few known survivors. Lying in isolation, she recalled feeling urine drip down on her from above while, at the same time, a breeze carried the pleasant scent of roses from the garden. Villa Grimaldi was rife with absurd juxtapositions like this. Indeed, other prisoners, recently tortured, remembered female DINA agents sunbathing around the swimming pool, clinking glasses. Pedro was prisoner #209 of Villa Grimaldi, arriving in May 1975. His release, 13 months later, was a matter of sheer luck. As the Pinochet government engaged in international talks, it decided to release a small number of prisoners as a show of good faith; Pedro was one of those prisoners freed. Soon after, he moved to the US as a political prisoner and was granted asylum. Comparing Chile to Argentina, Pedro noted that one of the great differences between the two was that, while most prisoners in Argentina were killed, most in Chile lived. Indeed, out of roughly 5000 prisoners in Villa Grimaldi, only 240 died. Pedro theorizes, though, that this was a strategic move by Pinochet's government. When he was freed, Pedro described himself as a "zombie," a "walking message of terror." And, it followed that, "when you free several hundred zombies, certainly that is a very effective way of terrorizing society." This is one key message to take from Villa Grimaldi - trauma doesn't end with the traumatizing event. Often, it becomes self-perpetuating, spreading from the direct victims to those with whom they come in contact. ----------------------------------------------- After Villa Grimaldi, Pedro took us to Santiago's General Cemetery. It's a massive complex; one would need at least a full day to see everything. Five million people are buried there with more added every year, despite the fact that there are no vacancies. The cemetery uses a practice called "reductions," in which bones are moved into smaller coffins when decomposition is completed (which, in Santiago, takes 23 years). Pedro explained that the cemetery, through its organization, reflects the severe social stratification that has long plagued the country. Santiago's wealthy aristocratic families have ornate burial complexes near the front entrance, with the most illustrious clans situated immediately adjacent to Allende's tomb (a bitter irony in its own right). Cross the road and one leaves the upper class, heading into the middle class neighborhood. The fine sculptures and large chambers give way to respectable, modest tombs, many of which have been recently adorned with fresh-cut flowers. Keep walking, and one eventually reaches a ramshackle section, where the poorest families butt up against the unmarked burial site of many victims of the dictatorship. Families burying their loved ones here often cannot buy the spot outright, but instead lease it; failure to make payment will result in the remains being transferred to a mass grave. For Pedro Matta, neither progressive social activists nor poor Chileans should ever be in such a position.
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Argentina/Chile: Pedro Matta