▁South ▁America ▁the ater ▁in ▁the ▁Cold ▁War , ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁backing ▁the ▁Chile an ▁military ▁and ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁backing ▁the ▁gu err illas . ▁The ▁main ▁armed ▁resistance ▁groups ▁of ▁the ▁period ▁were ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁Left ▁Mov ement ▁( M IR ) ▁and ▁Fr ente ▁Patri ót ico ▁Manuel ▁Rodríguez ▁( F PM R ), ▁the ▁armed ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Chile . ▁These ▁groups ▁had ▁a ▁long - standing ▁rival ry . ▁ ▁Key ▁events ▁during ▁the ▁armed ▁resistance ▁were ▁the ▁attempt ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁ ▁gu err illa ▁cam ps ▁in ▁N elt ume ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 - 7 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 - 8 1 , ▁the ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁sab ot aging ▁of ▁the ▁Lim ache ▁train ▁tracks , ▁the ▁Car riz al ▁B ajo ▁arms ▁sm ugg ling ▁operation ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁the ▁attempted ▁killing ▁of ▁P ino ch et ▁in ▁September ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁After ▁the ▁return ▁to ▁dem ocracy ▁was ▁initi ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁groups ▁dem obil ized . ▁However , ▁spl inter ▁groups ▁that ▁reported ly ▁switched ▁targets ▁after ▁the ▁dict ator ship ▁fell , ▁continued ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁assass in ations , ▁bomb ings , ▁kid n app ings ▁and ▁armed ▁rob ber ies ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁ins ur gency ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁social ist