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When and why did tomas (land occupations) begin? Despite the widespread belief that La Victoria, in 1957, was the first toma in Chile, and even in South America, many scholars affirm that this phenomenon began in the mid-forties. This article, through an analysis of the press and documentary sources, studies the land occupations that were carried out in Santiago, Chile between 1945 and 1957. Our hypothesis is that the toma was invented in the mid-fifties, when land occupations, which were previously realized silently, started to be dis-played in the public space. In this manner they became political statements. This shift in the mobilizations of the pobladores (marginal squatters) can be explained by the political context, as well as by the change in the State's role in relation to housing problems and urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "favelas" of Rio de Janeiro and the "poblaciones" of Santiago de Chile were usually visited by external actors. It is through the accounts of social workers, students, political activists or volunteers that we know about the histories of these places. With the beginning of the cold war, the presence of these individuals took on a new meaning. In this backdrop, the conflict between the communists and the Catholic Church for the hegemony over the low-income neighborhoods, which sometimes led to violent confrontations, took a central stage. Yet, the activities developed by these institutions strengthened the organization of the inhabitants and physically improved these neighborhoods, fostering their urban, social and political integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]