Cold War, Agrarian Reform and Agro-food heritage: the State-owned Pisco Enterprise (Chile, 1970-1973)

Abstract

The Empresa Pisquera del Estado aimed to create a symbol of pres­tige for the socialist revolution in Chile from the emblematic and patrimonial distillate of Chile. At the same time, it represented the radicalization of the Agrarian Reform and aimed to legitimize the expropriation of vineyards according to the criteria establi­shed by Benito Marianetti. The research was carried out based on the minutes of the main pisco cooperative, the press of the time and personal interviews in the context of the political struggles and international tensions of the Cold War. It is found that the lack of planning, the excess of improvisation and the ideological contradictions of the governing forces compromised the viability of the project.