Testimonial Book Chronicles Women’s Political Imprisonment in Valparaíso

Original article: Libro testimonial retrata la historia colectiva de prisión política de mujeres en Valparaíso

On Sunday, March 29, at 4:00 PM, marking the end of International Women’s Month, the book «Memories, a Light Against Oblivion» will be presented. This publication reconstructs the collective story of women who faced political imprisonment during the civil-military dictatorship in Valparaíso, specifically those detained in facilities managed by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

The book presentation will take place at the Teatro del Parque Cultural de Valparaíso – Ex Prison (PCdV – Ex Prison), which was declared a Site of Memory by the Chilean State in 2019.

This volume is the result of a Popular Memory Workshop initiated by the Department of Heritage, Memories, and Human Rights of the PCdV – Ex Prison, and was collaboratively produced with the Collective of Former Political Prisoners of the Good Shepherd Prison in Valparaíso.

Through a testimonial exercise, the text reconstructs the collective memory of a group of women detained under the congregation’s auspices, highlighting the disruption of their life projects and those of their families following the coup; the conditions of their imprisonment; and the ongoing impact of the repression they faced even after their release.

Patricia Pulgar, a member of the Collective of Former Political Prisoners of the Good Shepherd Prison in Valparaíso, stated, «With this text, we aim to preserve memory and combat denialism. Our mission has been and will continue to be to share our story, so that new generations are encouraged to uphold human rights without compromise.»

Juan Villagrán, president of the Collective of Former Political Prisoners of Valparaíso and a board member of the Valparaíso Cultural Park Association, emphasized, «The collective history of the Good Shepherd prison in Valparaíso, built from a popular memory workshop, reminds us that repression extended beyond prison walls. It was violence that began before, with raids and persecution, and continued later, with unemployment, exile, and ostracism.»

He added, «The former political prisoners and their families have borne these consequences. Recovering these memories is not just an act of justice for them but also a commitment to the present and future, ensuring that such human rights violations never reoccur in Chile.»

The event is open to the entire community and invites everyone to engage in this space of encounter, reflection, and memory.

El Ciudadano