After Chile: A Second Chance for a Technological Revolution in Latin America
Ben Wood, PMP
Project Consultant | Builder | Systems Thinker
June 5, 2026
On September 11, 1973, fighter jets bombed the presidential palace in Santiago. By the end of the day, President Salvador Allende was dead, and the future Stafford Beer had been helping to build for Chile appeared to die with him.
Project Cybersyn was over, and Beer’s dream that cybernetics might help humanity govern itself with greater intelligence, freedom, and dignity appeared destined for the dustbin of history.
Following Chile, Beer withdrew from public life and disappeared into the mountains of Wales for the next twelve years.
Until a letter arrived from Uruguay, from a man named Victor Ganón.
“Our country would like to offer you a second chance in Latin America to implement your ideas and establish a real-time control system for Uruguay. Would you accept it?”
Beer wrote back immediately:
“I have been waiting for 12 years for just such a letter…There is only one possible answer: YES!”
Links:
Metaphorum Webinar:
https://youtu.be/CvVXpD4w5zw?si=8JStPSBmo4B6gEwe
Victor’s book:
https://books.apple.com/au/book/urucib-uruguay-cibernetico-successfully-implementing/id6746205803
Victor’s Article:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00146-021-01351-5
After Chile: A Second Chance for a Technological Revolution in Latin America | LinkedIn
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