Por la razón o la fuerza

ByThe Skeptical Traveler

Esmeralda is the Chilean Navy’s training ship and she also acts as a goodwill ambassador for her country. But Esmeralda has a troubled past, during Augusto Pinochet’s regime she was used as a place to jail and torture political prisoners, and now her arrival is often met with protests.
I usually enjoy visiting ships, especially when it’s free, but I had mixed feelings about this one because of its dark history.

I eventually decided to go while she was docked in Victoria, BC, I wanted to see some cruiser ships as well, and three of them were arriving in port that evening.
There were no protests on this occasion, so I was able to see the ship without any trouble. I can say that Esmeralda is a nice ship, not that I know much about sailing ships in general.

However, I saw a coat of arms inside the ship carrying the words Por la razón o la fuerza. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have paid too much attention to this – just another one of those ‘macho mottos’ – but in this case it was somehow unsettling, and forced me to think harder about where I was.

The image shows a wooden plaque featuring a coat of arms. The coat of arms includes a shield with a white star on a blue background, bordered by red. Above the shield are three feathers in blue, white, and red. To the left of the shield is a crowned deer, and to the right is a crowned bird, possibly a condor. Below the shield is a banner with the phrase "POR LA RAZON O LA FUERZA," which translates to "By reason or by force."

Translated into English, the motto means By reason or force, or By might or right.

In concluding this post I should say that Chile has now been a democratic country for over two decades, and its coat of arms was adopted some 200 years ago; the people who work and train on the ship have nothing to do with the events of its past. You can read more about this coat of arms on Wikipedia.

Esmeralda

The image shows a large sailing ship docked at a pier. The ship has multiple tall masts with numerous ropes and rigging. The name "BE ESMERALDA" is visible on a sign attached to the side of the ship. The sky is clear and blue, and a few people can be seen near the ship.

The image shows a large sailing ship docked at a pier. The ship has multiple masts with rigging and a large Chilean flag flying at the stern. The hull of the ship is painted white, and there are people visible on the deck. The sky is clear and blue, indicating a sunny day.

The image shows a large sailing ship with multiple masts and rigging. The ship has tall wooden masts with numerous ropes and sails. There are people on the deck of the ship, and a small boat is attached to the side. The sky is clear and blue, and there are flags flying from the top of the masts.

The image shows the upper part of a ship, focusing on the mast and rigging. There are numerous ropes and cables extending from the mast, and a large radar or communication device labeled "SAILOR" is prominently visible. The sky in the background is clear, indicating it is likely daytime. The perspective is from below, looking up at the ship's structure.

The image shows a harbor scene with two large cruise ships docked side by side. To the right of the cruise ships, there is a tall sailing ship with multiple masts. The sky is clear and blue, and the water in the foreground is calm.

The image shows a large sailing ship with multiple masts docked at a pier. The ship is white with tall, wooden masts and several flags flying at the top. The pier is adjacent to a body of water, and there are buildings and trees in the background under a clear blue sky.

The image shows a large cruise ship docked at a port with a smaller, older-style sailing ship with multiple masts in the foreground. The sky is clear and blue, indicating a sunny day. The sailing ship has several red flags on its masts. The cruise ship is significantly larger and more modern in design compared to the sailing ship.

2 Comments

  1. You have to understand that Chile was a socialist goverment under Allende and that Pinochet was the leader of the opposition party. There is always death and torture in war, even with one’s own people.

    The new government of Pinochet implemented economic reforms, including the privatization of several state-controlled industries and the rollback of many state welfare institutions. Pinochet’s economic policies were continued and strengthened by successive governments. Chile is now the best-performing economy in Latin America. Say what you will about Pinochet, but there are many supporters of him in Chile and around the world!

  2. > Chile is now the best-performing economy in Latin America.

    Chile is best-performing in the sense that it extracts and exports successfully a large amount of its resources (e.g. copper, lithium) all over the world. This success comes at a price: its infrastructure is strongly deficient, its population suffers from the strongest inequalities in the world, and its education system falling appart.

    > Say what you will about Pinochet, but there are many supporters of him in Chile and around the world!

    Even ignoring the (past) crimes of Pinochet and his supporters, the consequences of their politic are still hurting Chileans. I have met Chilean in France, Canada and in Chile, and I met Pinochet sympathizers only in Chile, and all in wealthy situations which argue against their impartiality: they support the system which supports them.

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