Gladys Marin, 63; Foe of Pinochet, Communist Party Leader in Chile

Gladys Marin, 63, the leader of the Chilean Communist Party who became a symbol of resistance against the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, died of brain cancer Sunday at her home outside Santiago.

Marin, who became the leader of Chile’s Communist Party in the 1990s, pressed on with the battle against Pinochet even after he stepped down as president. She became a well-known human rights advocate and was among the first to file a criminal complaint against Pinochet for human rights abuses.

Marin joined the Communist Youth Party in the 1950s while studying to be a teacher. She became a member of Congress and supporter of Marxist President Salvadore Allende at the time of the 1973 military coup. Allende killed himself during the coup, and Marin went into exile in 1974 as other Communist Party leaders disappeared or died in custody.

Marin’s husband, Jorge Munoz, was arrested by Pinochet’s security service and never seen again. He is believed to be among those killed by Pinochet’s regime after the coup.