Sergio Bitar Says He Made a “Pact With Democracy” After Fearing the Dictatorship Would Kill Him

Sergio Bitar says his commitment to democracy began with a moment when he thought the Chilean dictatorship might kill him. Detained after the coup because he had served as a minister under Salvador Allende, Bitar recalled the journey that took him and other senior figures toward Punta Arenas.

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First, being alive.

“We had been transferred to the Military School, those of us who were ministers, senators and a university rector,” he said. They were later sent to Dawson Island. During the transfer, Bitar recalled, they were pushed and tied before arriving at night in Punta Arenas, where they were taken in an armored vehicle.

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To this day, a commitment.

Bitar discussed those memories with Cooperativa during the launch of his new book, “Eight Presidents and a Dictator.” At 85, he said he remains committed to democracy. “First, being alive,” he said, while describing his determination to maintain that commitment “to this day.”

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Today we are working on a project for Chile in 2050, always thinking about democracy and social inclusion.

He also said he continues to work on a project for Chile in 2050, focused on democracy and social inclusion. His account links that future-oriented political work to the experience of detention and the damage he says the dictatorship inflicted on the country.

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There was a moment when I thought they were going to kill me.