by James Coulter
Gonzalo Lira was a Chilean-American novelist, film producer, and political commentator. As someone who grew up under the regimes of Salvador Allende and Augusto Pinochet in Chile, he was a man all too familiar with authoritarian governments.
Lira would later move to Ukraine to reside with his wife. He often uploaded videos on YouTube commenting on the war. He drew from his personal experiences living in Chile to discuss political parallels with the conflict in Ukraine.
However, as his videos were deemed “propaganda and misinformation” by the Ukrainian government, Lira was arrested and imprisoned in May 2022. He would die in prison two years later.
Antonio Acaya was a middle school student in the International Baccalaureate at Lake Wales High School when Lira was arrested. Acaya had become interested in philosophy and politics through Lira’s work, often watching his videos and taking notes.
“He expressed the dangers of communism and radical ideologies and drew parallels to the United States,” Acaya said. “One thing in Chile under Salvador was freezing prices for goods and services. This caused the collapse of the private sector, and gave the government an excuse to seize the private sector and nationalize it.”
“If you think it cannot happen here in the United States,” he continued, “take a look at what happened in 2008 and later in 2010 when the Supreme Court gave personhood to corporations, allowing the government to further subsidize corporations. It’s something to seriously think about.”
Lira was also critical about the conflict occurring in Ukraine, often drawing parallels between it and other similar geopolitical conflicts: “He said what was happening in Ukraine was similar to what was happening in Iraq where the American leadership class needed a war to fund their corruption.”
Lira died in prison earlier this year, around the same time Acaya had started college. Before then, the young Lake Wales student wanted to become a pilot. Now, he is studying political science and has used the notes he had collected following Lira’s work to write and publish his own book.
“How is it that a country that we have given billions in taxes, a country that claims that it wants to be part of NATO with Western values, allowed for the death of an American citizen?” Acaya asked. “It does not matter if you agree with someone or not. No one deserves to die or be in prison for expressing their ideas or opinions.”
“Awaken: The Rise of the Populist” was published earlier this year. Acaya considers it a “call to action” for young Americans to “wake up” to the changes occurring in their country and what they can do to preserve their country’s founding principles into the future.
His book offers “A reflection on the past, a stark analysis of the present, and a hopeful vision for tomorrow. It challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions, confront their fears, and embrace the potential of a brighter tomorrow.”
“Awaken: The Rise of the Populist” is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2LNLKZB?ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_37K3JGCEP1XR2HAQQ67C
Antonio Ancaya recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss his book and the inspiration behind it. Listen to the full episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge
