The Endless Absence

Medical, psychological, and political examination of the enforced disappearance of persons

After the military coup under General Augusto Pinochet in Chile in 1973, thousands of people were forcibly disappeared. The exact number cannot be determined to this day.

Affected families suffered endless trauma and are still searching for their loved ones. Based on a multitude of personal accounts and three comprehensive interviews, Dr. Paz Rojas Baeza describes the psychological and medical consequences of the enforced disappearance of Chilean women. The effects are felt across generations and cannot heal. They affect not only the victims and their relatives but the community as a whole.

Grief, evil, and the fight against impunity for serious crimes against humanity are the themes of this book. It is based on the sum of the practical experiences of its author and her supporters. The author herself had to temporarily flee into exile due to military violence.

"A true culmination of the generous and impressive professional, human, social, and political work in defense of human rights that Dr. Paz Rojas Baeza has been doing for more than 30 years." - José Miguel Varas

Publication date: August 1, 2026