British Campaigns for Solidarity with Argentina and Chile

In: Bulletin of Latin American research: the journal of the Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS), Band 39, Heft 5, S. 614-628

Abstract

The Chile solidarity movement persuaded British Labour governments (1974–1979) to introduce a range of measures against the Pinochet regime. But campaigners lobbying against the Argentine dictatorship (1976–1983) had less impact on policy. Neither these Labour governments nor the subsequent Conservative government imposed any sanction on the Argentine dictatorship, until the invasion of the Falkland Islands. This article explores why in Britain – and Europe – the Chile campaign had greater public appeal than the Argentina solidarity campaigns. It identifies a number of common factors across Europe which explain why the anti‐Pinochet cause generated more support than the Argentina campaign.