Gladys Marín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gladys Marín
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| Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Chile | |
| In office 12 July 1994 – 11 August 2002 |
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| President of the Communist Party of Chile | |
| In office 11 August 2002 – 6 March 2005 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 July 1938 Curepto, Chile |
| Died | 6 March 2005 (aged 66) Santiago, Chile |
| Spouse | Jorge Muñoz Poutays |
Gladys del Carmen Marín Millie (born July 16, 1938 – died March 6, 2005) was an important Chilean activist and political leader. She was the head of the Communist Party of Chile (PCCh) for many years. She served first as Secretary-General from 1994 to 2002. Then, she became president of the PCCh until she passed away.
Gladys Marín was a strong opponent of General Augusto Pinochet. She was the first person in Chile to take legal action against him. She accused him of serious human rights violations during his seventeen years as a dictator.
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Gladys Marín's Early Life
Gladys Marín was born in Curepto, a town in the Maule area of Chile. Her father, Heraclio Marín, was a farmer. Her mother, Adriana Millie, was a school teacher.
Her family moved several times when she was young. They lived in Sarmiento and then in Talagante. When Gladys was eleven years old, her family finally settled in Santiago, the capital city.
Gladys Marín's Political Journey
Gladys Marín became involved in politics while studying to be a teacher in Santiago. She joined the Communist Party during this time.
Serving in Government
In 1965, Gladys Marín was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. This is like being a member of parliament. She represented a working-class area of Santiago. She was elected again in 1970.
Life After the Coup
In 1973, there was a military coup in Chile. This meant the government was taken over by force. After the coup, Gladys Marín had to go into hiding.
The Communist Party insisted she seek safety. She found refuge in the Dutch embassy in Santiago. She stayed there for eight months. After that, she was allowed to leave Chile and went to East Germany.
Family and Return to Chile
While Gladys Marín was traveling in Costa Rica in 1976, her husband, Jorge Muñoz, went missing. He was never seen again.
In 1978, Gladys Marín secretly returned to Chile. She worked underground, meaning she was hidden from the authorities. She fought for Chile to become a democracy again.
Running for President
In 1997, Marín tried to get a seat in the Senate. She received many votes, but she was not elected. This was because of Chile's election rules, which often favored the two biggest political groups.
She also ran for president in 1999. She received less than four percent of the votes. Many people who supported the left-wing were worried that a right-wing candidate might win. So, they voted for Socialist Ricardo Lagos instead.
Taking Action Against Pinochet
On January 12, 1998, Gladys Marín made history. She was the first person in Chile to file a complaint against Augusto Pinochet. She accused him of terrible actions, including human rights violations.
Gladys Marín's Personal Life and Passing
Gladys Marín married Jorge Muñoz Poutays in 1963. They had two children together.
Gladys Marín passed away on March 6, 2005. She had been battling brain cancer for a long time. She received treatment in Cuba and Sweden.
After her death, the Chilean government announced two days of national mourning. This meant the country officially grieved her loss. Her coffin was displayed at the old National Congress building in Santiago. Thousands of people came to pay their respects before her cremation.
For her funeral, the Communist Party and her family organized a large march. It went through the center of Santiago. News reports estimated that hundreds of thousands of people attended. Later, a street in a working-class area of Santiago was renamed in her honor.
