Chile: Communists arrested in clamp-down before elections

The Secretary-General of the Chilean Communist Party, Gladys Marin was among those arrested. Such was the violence of the police raid that nine people were injured. Several leading political figures were included in the group, namely Central committee member Lautaro Carmona and five parliamentary candidates.

Gladys Marin was so badly injured in this unprovoked and violent attack that she had to receive treatment from a doctor. Four others were interned in hospitals, one in the intensive care unit.

The police claim that they were carrying out a simple order to clear the building, claiming that the Communist Party was occupying it illegally. Teargas, water cannon and baton charges, against women, were part of this scene.

The police claim that the communists attacked one of their officers before the incident. The Communists claim that behind this, there is a clear political intention to damage the Party’s organisational structure less than a month before the elections. The building was damaged also in the attack.

The communists stand to gain ground in the December elections, according to opinion polls within Chile.

Marcia MIRANDA PRAVDA.Ru BRAZIL