The Chilean transitional justice agenda construction and the twist of the human rights problem

This paper analyzes the twists of the construction process of the human rights violation problem, as a social problem, that occurred in Chile during the 1973-1990 civic and military dictatorship, that required a response from the State. For this, we analyze the discourses present in the debate on transitional justice in the public arena, developed in the country from the transition to democracy, based on the social constructionist approach and the model of the natural history of social problems. The analysis allows us to glimpse the various conceptualizations that have been delineating the public debate around the notions of truth and justice and their articulation in transitional public policies. The conclusions point to the decisive role of the human rights movement in promoting alternative responses and contribute to making victims visible as active actors in the political arena.