The history of Chile forgotten by many, 42 years after...

The coup in Chile, on September 11th 1973, was a military action carried out by the Armed forces of Chile, conformed by the Army, the navy and the air Force, along with the Carabineros (Carabiniers) with the intention to overthrow the socialist President Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens and the left Government of the Unidad Popular (Popular Unity).

Salvador Allende took over the Presidency of Chile in 1970, he became the first western politician with a Marxist orientation who accessed to power through general elections in a Constitutional State. His government, with a strong reformist tendency was characterized for an increasing political polarization in society and a strong crisis which led into a social convulsion.

The possibility of executing a coup against the government of Salvador Allende existed even before his election. The government of the United States, led by President Richard Nixon and his Secretary of State henry Kissinger, influenced decisively in groups opposed to Allende, financing and actively supporting the realization of a coup. Among these actions were the murder of General Rene Schneider and the Tanquetazo, a military uprising on June 29th, 1973.  

In mid-1973, after the Tanquetazo, groups within the Chilean Navy planned to overthrow the government, to which later on, the high commanders of the Air Force and groups within Carabineros joined. Days before the scheduled date for the military action, Augusto Pinochet, the Chief Army Commander joined them. On the morning of September 11, the Military Leadership of the armed forces and police were able to quickly control most of the country and demanded the immediate resignation of Salvador Allende, who took refuge at the Palacio de la Moneda (the Moneda Palace). After the bombing of the presidential palace, Allende committed suicide and the resistance at the Palace was neutralized.   

The coup marked the end of the government of Unidad popular which was followed by the establishment of a Military Government led by Pinochet. Chile, which in that time was one of the steadiest democracies in Latin America, entered into a civilian-military dictatorship that lasted until 1990. During this period systematic violations of human rights were perpetrated , the liberty of expression was limited, the political parties were suppressed and the Nation Congress was dissolved.