Day of the Young Combatant in Chile Date in the current year: March 29, 2024

The brothers were members of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR), a left-wing, anti-government guerrilla organization founded in 1965. After the 1973 military coup, the MIR struggled against the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Eduardo and Rafael Vergara Toledo are believed to have fallen victim to the regime on March 29, 1985.

Originally Day of the Young Combatant was established to honor the memory of the young victims of the dictatorial regime. However, over the course of time it has evolved into a day of demonstrations and violent protests against whatever government is in power.

Day of the Young Combatant involves arbitrary acts of violence such as throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails against vehicles, buildings, and police officers. For this reasons it is often referred to as Día del joven delincuente, which can be translated as Day of the Criminal Youth or Day of the Young Offender.