The Long End of Legal Exile: Internal Controversy in Chile (1982–1988)

Abstract

This work examines the end of legal exile in Chile, understood as the lifting of restrictions on returning to the country. The process began slowly in 1982 with authorization lists for exiles that excluded those deemed “dangerous”; over time it evolved toward greater openness, ultimately delegitimizing exile in public opinion and abolishing all restrictions in 1988. We argue that this outcome was not the government’s original aim but rather the result of three converging forces: a governmental strategy to improve its domestic and international standing, a media debate over the usefulness and legitimacy of exile, and pressure exerted by the exiles themselves.