A Chorus of Discontent

Six times last year and once in late March, opponents of the authoritarian regime of General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte have held demonstrations. Each time, the protests have ended in bloodshed, with a total of at least 110 dead. Last week the broad-based opposition tried another approach: as part of its effort to provoke a national strike, it called on Chileans to assemble in city and town squares to sing the national anthem and then quickly disperse. Pinochet was in no mood for music. Even before the singing had begun in Santiago's main square, police equipped with submachine guns, dogs, clubs and water cannons charged the crowd of 5,000. The confrontation set off two days of brutal clashes between police and protesters in slums and on university campuses that left nine people dead and as many as 140 injured. About 900 were arrested.

Pinochet, who last month announced that he will not proceed with plans to call elections for Congress, seemed unmoved by the signs of growing discontent. The government imposed censorship on two radio stations and sued three magazines for supporting the protests. It has also threatened to hold the organizers legally responsible for the deaths.