Solidarity With Chile & El Salvador

British peace campaigners stood in solidarity with the people of Chile and El Salvador during the 1970s and 1980s, opposing dictatorship, repression, and the global arms trade in the name of peace and justice.

Two nations, one shared struggle

In the latter half of the 20th century, both Chile and El Salvador became flashpoints in the global struggle for peace, democracy, and human rights. Though separated by geography and circumstance, both countries suffered brutal repression — in Chile through the 1973 military coup and dictatorship of General Pinochet, and in El Salvador through a devastating civil war that began in 1979. In each case, British peace campaigners rallied in support of those resisting tyranny, seeing their struggles as part of a broader international battle against militarism and injustice.

While the details differed, the principles remained the same: opposition to foreign-backed regimes, a commitment to nonviolence, and solidarity with those working for justice from below. These campaigns were not isolated; they were threads woven into the wider fabric of the British peace movement.

Chile: a symbol of Cold War violence

When Chile's democratic socialist president Salvador Allende was overthrown on 11 September 1973, the event sent shockwaves around the world. Pinochet's military junta launched a reign of terror — bombing the presidential palace, executing opponents, and institutionalising torture. The coup's international backing, especially from the United States, exposed the deep hypocrisy of Cold War geopolitics. In Britain, outrage came swiftly.

The Chile Solidarity Campaign was formed and quickly gathered support from trade unions, churches, students, exiled Chileans, and peace activists. The campaign became a model of broad coalition-building and moral clarity. It protested arms sales, exposed complicity, and stood as a vocal critic of the British government's quiet support for Pinochet, particularly under Margaret Thatcher.

Cultural resistance also flourished. The music of the Nueva Canción movement, especially the legacy of Víctor Jara — poet, singer, and martyr — echoed through peace concerts and vigils. Songs like El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido became staples of protest across Britain. Chilean exiles often took part directly, speaking at events and becoming part of the growing peace culture.

El Salvador: deeper connections, quieter profile

Though the El Salvador solidarity movement never reached the same public profile in Britain as the Chile campaign, it often ran deeper. The Salvadoran civil war (1979-1992) was complex, protracted, and devastating. Backed heavily by U.S. military aid, the Salvadoran regime and its death squads targeted peasant communities, trade unionists, teachers, and clergy. The murder of Archbishop Óscar Romero in 1980, followed by the assassination of six Jesuit priests in 1989, shocked the world and stirred the conscience of many British campaigners.

Faith groups — especially Catholic and Quaker networks — played a major role. Many saw Romero as a modern-day prophet, and his witness led to a surge in Christian peace activism. Churches sent delegations, hosted Salvadoran refugees, and built long-term relationships with communities on the ground. 'Twinning' between British towns and Salvadoran villages became a powerful expression of accompaniment and practical solidarity.

Though the El Salvador campaign lacked the scale of Chile's, it reflected a deepened commitment to peace through relationship, presence, and persistence. Activists often remained engaged for years, even as media attention faded.

Opposition to Western military and economic involvement

A key focus of both solidarity campaigns was challenging the role of foreign powers in sustaining repression. The United States played a central role by supplying arms, training, and economic aid to both Pinochet's Chile and the Salvadoran government. Britain, too, though to a lesser extent, was complicit through arms s