| Type: | Prison camp used during the military dictatorship of Chile |
| José Domingo Cañas | |
| Location Map: | Chile |
| Map Caption: | Location of José Domingo Cañas in contemporary Chile |
| Coordinates: | -33.4561°N -70.6175°W |
| Known For: | Internment of Pinochet's dissidents during his military dictatorship |
| Location: | Santiago |
| Operated By: | DINA and CNI |
| In Operation: | 1974-1977 (DINA), 1977-19?? (CNI) |
| Prisoner Type: | Pinochet's dissidents |
| Killed: | 50 people |
| Website: | http://www.josedomingocanas.org/ |
The José Domingo Cañas Memory House was a detention and torture center operated by the National Intelligence Directorate (DINA), located at 1367 José Domingo Cañas Street, in the Ñuñoa district of Santiago, Chile.
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:
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:
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).[2]
It is estimated that 61 disappeared detainees were held in this facility.[3]
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:
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.[4]
The site was declared a historical monument on January 21, 2002.[5]
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.[6]
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.