La noche de 12 años

Tonight’s film comes from Uruguay.

La noche de 12 años (2018)

Whether you’re learning Spanish or just looking for something to watch, La noche de 12 años is worth watching.

The film follows the ordeal suffered by Tupamaro prisoners at the hands of the military dictatorship of Juan María Bordaberry. With the alleged support of the CIA, the military dictatorship is thought to be responsible for the deaths of at least 200 Uruguayans. During its rule, which lasted from 1973 to 1985, it’s estimated that hundreds more were illegally detained and tortured.

The Tupamaros were a left-wing group, emerging during the 1960s amidst a backdrop of falling agricultural exports and falling living standards. The group’s full name was the Movimiento de Liberación Nacional-Tupamaros (Tupamaros National Liberation Movement), known in short as the MLN-T. The name derives from Túpac Amaru II, who led a significant indigenous revolt against Spain’s Viceroyalty of Peru in 1780.

The film focuses on the ordeal of a handful of Tupamaro prisoners - one of which is José Mujica. Faced with appalling conditions for twelve years, there is a moving scene in which Mujica’s mother reminds him during a visit :

Los únicos derrotados son los que bajan los brazos

The only ones defeated are those who lower their arms

Mujica worked as a Minister and then Senator for his country in the 2000s, before becoming President from 2010 to 2015. During his presidency, he donated 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities that aided the poor and small businesses. His tenure also saw the legalisation of abortion (2012), as well as same-sex marriage and cannabis (2013). Today, Uruguay stands as a proud example of how policies prioritising social welfare are both just and essential. It is considered a healthy democracy, with low levels of income inequality, and 95 percent of its electricity coming from renewable sources.

If you’re learning Spanish, the following video is an interview with Mujica, discussing both his life and his outlook on the world :

Breve Historia de José Pepe Mujica con entrevista

At the end of the film, the prisoners are released. They are greeted by crowds chanting a song that has become synonymous with the liberation movements of Latin America :

El pueblo unido jamás será vencido

The people united will never be defeated

The following video has both audio and lyrics to the song :

Inti Illimani - El Pueblo Unido

The following video shows the song being sung by large crowds in Chile :

El pueblo unido jamás será vencido

If you’re learning Spanish and would like to keep track of the news, four of the best news sources in Latin America are teleSUR, Página12, El Faro, and La Jornada :