History of Censorship in Chile

DESCRIPTION: Independent nation at the southern tip of the South American continent.

SIGNIFICANCE: From its independence in the early nineteenth century until the 1970s, Chile had a positive record of tolerating freedom of expression. However, significant restrictions on freedom of expression occurred primarily under the military regime that followed Salvador Allende’s government.

After Chile won its independence from Spain in 1818, it avoided many of the chaotic wars of the early nineteenth century that afflicted its neighbors and remained a stable republic. Employing censorship of political opponents, courts that quickly convicted enemies of the regime, and enjoying the support of the Roman Catholic Church, its strongman ruler, Diego Portales, maintained order. By the mid-nineteenth century, many of the most oppressive restrictions were lifted, and Chile maintained a free press that welcomed writers and political opponents of neighboring regimes. Although there were brief periods when presidents abused their powers, the tradition of a vigorous press persevered through a civil war in 1891, and a 1925 coup, and Chileans prided themselves on their civil liberties.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Chile’s politically inconsistent regimes fluctuated on reforms and social questions. This gave rise to a spirited debate in the press as conservatives, socialists, and communists vied for power in free elections. By the 1960s, Chile’s press represented a broad spectrum of ideas, from pro-Castro publications to those supporting conservative responses to calls for reform. In 1970, the election of Salvador Allende, the candidate of the socialist-led Popular Unity coalition, brought dramatic changes in the relationship of government to citizens. In his attempt to establish a socialist society in Chile, Allende encountered increasing resistance from the middle class and the wealthy. Despite the increasing intensity of opposition, however, the tradition of a free press persisted. Allende had promised to uphold Chile’s Statute of Democratic Guarantees, which included freedom of the press, as part of his agreement with other parties that helped him gain the presidency. Nevertheless, his government did attempt—unsuccessfully—to take over one of two private companies that controlled production of newsprint. Such control would have given him the ability to shut down opposition newspapers. Eventually, Allende increasingly relied on controversial legal and political measures that were challenged by opposition groups, until he was killed in a bloody coup instigated by the military in September 1973.

The coup led by General Augusto Pinochet produced one of the most brutal and repressive regimes in the history of South America; it abused human rights, censored free speech, and controlled the press and broadcast media. Public book burnings of works considered subversive were also common. Under the new military government, thousands of people suspected of supporting Allende’s regime were detained; many were tortured, and hundreds were murdered. Political prisoners were routinely detained without warrants, and many people were arrested for minor infractions, such as painting antigovernment graffiti, protesting government torture, or demanding accountings of persons who had disappeared in police custody.

The end of the military regime in 1990 and the ascension of an elected president dramatically eased restrictions on most forms of expression, and exiled Chileans returned from abroad. The last decade of the twentieth century brought a return of the freedoms to which Chileans had long been accustomed.

While censorship in twenty-first-century Chile has been less of an issue than it was during the repressive late twentieth century regimes, satire of powerful political figures often leads to lawsuits. In one case, a site satirizing right-wing newspaper El Mercurio was shut down after being sued by the paper for infringing on its intellectual property. El Mercurio also succeeded for five years in suppressing a documentary about the role the paper played in propaganda during the Pinochet era; some commentators theorized that the paper’s effectiveness in this was due in part to connections in the then-current right-wing government of Sebastián Piñera, pointing to the fact that the documentary finally aired after Michelle Bachelet’s center-left government took power in 2014 as evidence.

Since the mid-2010s, Chile has maintained a relatively open media environment. However, issues such as media concentration have led to concerns about biased reporting and a lack of diversity in coverage. There have also been growing challenges related to censorship, especially during periods of political unrest. For instance, during protests in 2019, which were sparked by a subway fare hike and later morphed into widespread demonstrations against inequality, there were concerns about information control and allegations of media bias. Additionally, Chile introduced cybersecurity policy initiatives in the late 2010s, with more comprehensive legislation developed in the early 2020s, which, while aiming to enhance national security, raised concerns about overreach and potential violations of free expression, especially regarding online content and speech.

The role of social media in organizing protests and disseminating information has also been a significant factor. However, during periods of unrest, journalists have faced increased harassment and attacks, both from authorities and criminal groups. The government has also taken steps to regulate social media platforms, particularly concerning misinformation and hate speech. These measures have sparked debates over the fine line between protecting the public from harmful content and infringing on free speech. Despite these challenges, Chile’s media freedom remains relatively robust, though the ongoing tension between digital censorship, disinformation, and the right to protest suggests that debates over censorship in the country will continue to evolve. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported that, although Chile has made progress since the dictatorship, challenges remain, including pressure on journalists and risks during protests. In 2025, a controversial bill known as ‘Ley Mordaza 2.0’ proposed criminal penalties, including possible prison sentences, for publishing information from ongoing criminal investigations, raising concerns about press freedom. Chile has improved its position in global press freedom rankings, reflecting its relatively strong media environment despite ongoing challenges.

Bibliography

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