Chile: Comunique from Prison of Arrested Comrade Andrea Urzua

translated from culmine with anger, love and solidarity

24/08/2010 - Comrades, friends, brothers, family,
A week has passed since the aggressor of women, the honourable Attorney Peña's, media show, (an allusion to a domestic violence complaint concerning the Chilean Marini - NDT). These have been hard days, far from my family, seeing a science fiction show on TV legitimised by audiences who have only shown how inefficient, ridiculous and barely credible the justice of the rich is.
It all started Saturday, August 14, at 6.50 am. While I was sleeping with my companion and my little daughter I heard a noise that made me think of an earthquake. But no, they were agents of the GOPE that ... were searching the place where I live. It was all very violent, while they were beating, blocking and handcuffing my companion I and my little one had weapons turned on us. A lot of shouting, excited police told us: "quiet, collaborate ... don't move, don't talk ... don't make it difficult" ... in those long seconds I thought I might be killed by those wretches with the little one in my arms ... we didn't understand what it was about ... we asked them to calm down, to show us the search warrant, what were the accusations ...
There was no reason for all the fuss ... we asked them not to aim their weapons as I was with my baby ... we tried once blocked, to calm them down and get them to explain to us what was happening ... a cop appeared, like the others, armed to the teeth, asking me my name, when I tell them who I am he looks satisfied to know ... everything was very stupid, they knew perfectly well that I lived there, knew where I work, the places I frequent, I saw them, they were too obvious ... about two months ago an RP came asking for me to my in-laws' house (where I live) with the excuse that I was a 'victim of VIF', it was obvious that the persecution that had gone on for years had not ended, that strange visit was intended merely to confirm my address. I do not want to present myself as a victim, but nothing can explain the violence of pointing a gun against an 11 month old baby girl,this action is at best despicable and without justification. At 7:45 in comes the Captain ... the one who was in charge of the searches and arrests. Only then did things calm down a bit ... forensic police in white overalls shut themselves in the bedroom where I sleep with my family (a room which, like the rest of the house was searched more than 6 times) they took away books, the computer, our telephones and an infinite number of things that really I do not understand what function they could have in “Operacion SALAMANDRA”. While they were searching every room of the house they were filming us, taking photos ... the captain tells me that my arrest is part of the investigations carried out by the comedian Attorney Peña, the famous Bombas case, investigations going on for four years, with four successive prosecutors, with arrests that led nowhere, that rely exclusively on the declaration of a schizophrenic, narco-trafficker and woman beater called Gustavo Fuentes Aliaga, alias "El Grillo". The accusations against me are: "transport of explosives and illicit terrorist association".
Between 9:30 and 10 they transferred me to 33 ° commissariat where I am "genteelly" received by a high-ranking policeman (without identification) who shouting asks me my name and threatens me with: "Now you'll see that this is not a game" ... the situation started to get heavy when I see "my friends" there too ... the press ... the jubilant cops ... the truth is, the situation was too much ... they try to subject my hand to an examination for signs of explosives, but I refuse because there was no lawyer present ... the show went on, other reporters, other cops, other people ... We are moved (in that place we were already 10) to the control of the arrests. There both the prosecutor and the Ministry of the Interior appear as complainants, for a judge there is donna Alejandra Apablaza who not only did not take our concerns into account, but left the investigations open until Tuesday 17.
I am taken to the high security section of the CPF (central Female Penitentiary) of Santiago, isolated from the other prisoners. On Tuesday, at the hearing for the validation of the arrests, the Catholic church associated itself as a complainant, after the preparation of the police programme that Peña had prepared shows us the "evidence" with which we are accused of illicit terrorist association. Telephone conversations that say nothing compared to the usual calls you can have between friends, videos that can be found on the Internet (made from TV programmes), leaflets, posters ... all public things in anyone's possession. They say we are an illegal association that has an "informal, horizontal and democratic" structure. That the leaders are Pablo and Garza. All the others, we would have a horizontal position, without intermediate leaders or any other position. It is said that our goal is the elimination of capital, the bourgeoisie, the church and any kind of power ... all with only 300 Chilean pesos.

The picture of the body of Punky Mauri after the explosion was shown to us in a Machiavellian sadistic way... and so on without any logic but to arrest us, trying to close the space of solidarity with political prisoners, counter-cultural spaces ( some of them defined by the prosecutor as "power centres") and all that is against the government, the system and power. I always thought that with the rise to power of Piñera all those against the fascist government of the bosses would be struck, but I never imagined that this would happen with such stupid, vulgar tricks. In fact the evidence is so rude and crude that it would not surprise me if this letter was seen as another proof against me. There are many things in my head, there are many ideas, so much anger and so much love ... kidnapping is the word I have in mind, I am another who has been kidnapped ... they are keeping me away from my family and friends only for being what I am: one that is convinced of the idea, an ironclad solidarity, one that thinks, one that criticises ... actually, as I once read: "Solidarity is a powerful weapon" and it is obvious that they fear it. When I got to know the struggle I fell in love with her. You can speak of madness, but it is my beautiful madness ... I struggle for emancipation, I love freedom with my whole being, with all my strength ...
Now it remains only (for the time being) to send you much newen (strength in Mapuche language - NDT) thanking you for each one of the demonstrations of affection and support. I ask you to keep your eyes open, because it does not end here, that's obvious. A strong, close and fraternal embrace to each one of you.
ONLY THOSE WHO STRUGGLE LIVE, AND WE ARE MORE ALIVE THAN EVER!!! (I have heard this in these parts)
AKTIVE EFFEKTIVE SOLIDARITY!!! INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!!!
Andrea Urzúa Cid
P.P S.E.A.S. C.P.F.
August 21, 2010