UC San Diego

This thesis is a narrative and analysis of the MAPU-Lautaro, a Chilean Marxist-Leninist organization active from 1983-1994. The group fought to replace socioeconomic inequality and the brutality of the Pinochet dictatorship with a Socialist vision for Chilean society. Through direct action the group aimed to alter the mindset of the Chilean population and thereby spark revolutionary consciousness within the working class. Members of the Lautaro, as they preferred to be called, recuperated basic goods and redistributed them in Santiago's poorest neighborhoods. They later became increasingly involved in more violent actions and confrontations with Chilean security forces, eventually leading to the dismemberment of the group. Interviews with former members were conducted to gauge their levels of engagement in politics and social movements and to determine the forms of resistance they are currently engaged in.