Propaganda and authority in José Ricardo Morales’ play Los culpables (1964): a connection with the Chilean context

ABSTRACT Throughout recent history, Chilean society has suffered severe socio-political events, such as the advent of authoritarian regimes like Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973–1989) disseminating propaganda to defend political power and control citizens. This article critically analyzes and discusses the issue of military regimes performing authoritarian power and political repression against their citizens, which, in turn, is connected with the Chilean context of the second half of the twentieth century and the first decades of the twenty-first century. Using a discourse analysis approach, this study examines José Ricardo Morales’ play Los culpables to critique the emergence of an authoritarian political-military system disseminating political montage against innocent citizens throughout the twentieth century. The analysis of the play reveals an avant la lettre discourse on authoritarianism, which is relevant to shed light on a new interpretation of the current use of propaganda and violence as a form of political action by the Chilean government.