José Domingo Cañas Memory House

Memorial plaque.

Designated by the DINA as "Ollagüe Barracks," this was a transit site for people illegally detained during the process of transferring them from Londres 38 to Villa Grimaldi.

Before the coup on September 11, 1973, the house belonged to the Brazilian sociologist Teutonio Dos Santos. After the coup, it was occupied by the Embassy of Panama to shelter Chilean refugees seeking political asylum from that country. In August 1974, the house came under the control of the DINA, which turned it into the torture center known as Ollagüe Barracks.[1]

The detainees, according to the Rettig Report:

"were kept in a relatively spacious common room, similar to that of Londres 38, and in a place called 'the hole,' which was something like a pantry, with no windows or ventilation, approximately 2 x 1 meters, where at the same time more than ten detainees were held, in extreme conditions of overcrowding and lack of air."[2]

Original metal bed, or parrilla, in the same place where electric torture was applied.

In the same way as in other detention centers, interrogation sessions, torture, and abuses were carried out on the detainees. According to testimonies given to the Valech Commission:

"continual torture of people took place in this facility. They suffered punches and kicks all over their bodies, as well as blows with rubber truncheons or the butt of rifles. They were tied to a table, with arms and legs extended, and in that position, they received electric shocks in sensitive parts of their bodies. They endured the grid, humiliations, and sexual abuse, both women and some men, mock executions, the submarine, burns, were forced to witness the torture of other detainees and in some cases relatives; they had to remain hooded or blindfolded; they suffered suffocation by strangulation, with a rope around the neck or with plastic bags, as well as the insertion of objects into the anus, hangings, and psychological torture."[3]

Once Villa Grimaldi became operational, the facility on José Domingo Cañas Street became an operational headquarters for the DINA and later for the National Information Center (CNI).[4]

It is estimated that 61 disappeared detainees were held in this facility.[5]

One of the side murals.

In the mid-1990s, local residents began to denounce what happened in the house, and later they coordinated with other individuals and organizations in the community around it. This was of vital importance for the recognition and recovery of the site as a place dedicated to memory, where vigils were held every Wednesday evening, making their commitment to the recovery of the memories of what happened there known in the neighborhood.

In 2000, the property was sold to businessman Pablo Rochet Araujo, who demolished the property in December 2001 in order to create a parking lot for his business, "El Castillo del Juguete."

The collective "José Domingo Cañas" installed a monument in front of the site, which commemorates the 62 names of the disappeared detainees and Lumi Videla, who was executed and died under torture, her body thrown during curfew hours at the Italian Embassy.

The sculpture bears the following inscription:

"And yet, they will return like birds to perch again in the future."

This phrase corresponds to the form of the sculpture, consisting of two parallel columns representing the human couple, with a flock of birds at the top symbolizing their dreams and utopias.[6]

The site was declared a historical monument on January 21, 2002.[7]

Memorial in remembrance of the victims of this detention center.

Marked foundations of the old house.

Commemoration at the José Domingo Cañas Memory House.

On April 30, 2010, the project to establish a memorial house in honor of the individuals who were detained at this location was brought to fruition by the collective known as José Domingo Cañas. The José Domingo Cañas Memory House, initiated by the 1367 Foundation, has since become accessible to the community for cultural, artistic, and commemorative events. In the courtyard, the original elements of the house have been preserved, including a swimming pool dating back to its earlier days. Inside the house, a mural pays tribute to the disappeared detainees who once passed through this facility. It is estimated that approximately 50 individuals lost their lives at this site, while over a hundred were tortured.[8]

The original house has been entirely demolished; nonetheless, its foundations remain intact, allowing visitors to gain insights into its original dimensions and layout. Along the side walls, various artistic structures and murals have been added, all donated by different organizations. Each of these spaces is labeled with a sign indicating its function during the time of the Ollagüe Barracks.

Towards the rear of the site, a modern museum has been constructed. This museum showcases a diverse collection of materials and artifacts unearthed on the premises, along with other items relevant to the historical era. At the entrance, a wooden sign displays the names of some confirmed victims who were killed in this house.

On the street-facing exterior, a monument and a plaque serve as solemn memorials to the house's use during the Pinochet dictatorship. The rooftop of the site provides a suitable space for artistic performances such as plays or recitals.

• Ministerio de Interior (2005). Informe de la Comisión Nacional de Comisión Prisión Política y Tortura. Santiago. ISBN 956-7808-47-3.
• Comisión Nacional de Verdad y Reconciliación (1999). Informe de la Comisión Nacional de Verdad y Reconciliación. Santiago: Reedición de la Corporación Nacional de Reparación y Reconciliación.

• 1367 José Domingo Cañas Foundation
• 1367 José Domingo Cañas Collective
• 1367 José Domingo Cañas on Memoria Viva