Juan Cristóbal Peña Examines Mariana Callejas, Writer and Pinochet Agent, in New Book

Chilean author Juan Cristóbal Peña has published a book reconstructing the life of Mariana Callejas (Monte Patria, 1932–Las Condes, 2016), a writer who was also an agent of the Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (DINA) under Augusto Pinochet. Drawing on testimonies—including Callejas's own—and judicial documents, Peña details how Callejas hosted literary gatherings while simultaneously participating in DINA operations to eliminate opponents of the regime. Callejas, who married three times and had five children, traveled globally as a DINA operative. Her mansion, known as Lo Curro, located on the outskirts of Santiago de Chile, served as a site for both literary salons and the planning of attacks. In an interview, Peña stated that Callejas's role as a Pinochet agent cannot be separated from her identity as a writer. The book explores the coexistence of poetry and violence within her life and home. Additionally, the article notes that Manuel Rivas has published an essay on climate change and techno-oligarchy, in which he remarks, “It is advisable to read Shakespeare and watch 'The Godfather' at the same time.”