▁and ▁bank ▁rob ber ies ▁in ▁Santiago ▁that ▁briefly ▁shook ▁the ▁military ▁regime . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁M IR ▁gu err illas ▁bom bed ▁the ▁US - Ch ile ▁Cultural ▁Institute ▁in ▁Santiago , ▁causing ▁considerable ▁damage . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁about ▁ 4 0 ▁bomb ings ▁were ▁bl amed ▁on ▁M IR ▁gu err illas . ▁Several ▁police , ▁military ▁and ▁civ ili ans ▁caught ▁in ▁the ▁cross fire ▁and ▁bomb ▁bl asts ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁renew ed ▁M IR ▁attacks ▁in ▁the ▁Chile an ▁capital ▁and ▁at ▁least ▁ 7 0 ▁soldiers ▁and ▁polic emen ▁were ▁wounded ▁batt ling ▁the ▁mar x ist ▁gu err illas . ▁ ▁N elt ume ▁Gu err illa ▁Front ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁rein force ▁urban ▁gu err illa ▁war fare ▁w aged ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁cities , ▁the ▁M IR ▁command ers ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁had ▁set ▁in ▁motion ▁Oper ación ▁Ret orno ▁( Operation ▁Return ), ▁ordering ▁ex iled ▁milit ants ▁back ▁into ▁Chile . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁of ▁thirty ▁well - equ ipped ▁M IR ▁combat ants ▁of ▁the ▁To qui ▁La ut aro ▁Battalion ▁in fil tr ated ▁into ▁the ▁mountains ▁of ▁N elt ume ▁in ▁southern ▁Chile ▁and ▁re est ab lished ▁a ▁gu err illa ▁front . ▁The ▁M IR ▁spe ar head ▁was ▁commanded ▁by ▁ 3 0 - year - old ▁Miguel ▁Cab rera ▁Fernández ▁( nome