Chile had been facing increasing tensions between conservative forces and the leftist Popular Unity government led by President Salvador Allende. Allende, the first socialist to be elected president in a liberal democracy in Latin America, clashed with the right-wing parties that controlled Congress and inspired concern in other countries such as the United States.
Amid economic challenges and political unrest, General Pinochet and other military leaders opted to launch a coup against the President. On the morning of September 11, 1973, military forces seized control of key installations in Santiago. By 8am they had closed radio and television stations across the capital, while potential Allende supporters were rendered unable to assist when they found their telephone lines had been cut and their vehicles sabotaged.
While the military secured control of the capital, the presidential palace became the epicenter of a violent clash between loyalist forces and the rebels. Despite facing overwhelming firepower from the military involving close air support, the defenders did not surrender until 2.30pm. By this time President Allende was dead, with reports saying that he had committed suicide.
With the takeover complete, Pinochet soon emerged as the permanent head of the ruling junta and set about imposing a new era of authoritarianism and political repression. Immediately after taking control the first of thousands of suspected leftists were arrested and tortured, many of whom ‘disappeared’.
Pinochet ruled Chile until 1990 and was known for wide-ranging human rights abuses. Meanwhile his government initiated sweeping neoliberal reforms that drastically altered Chile’s economic landscape. While these reforms yielded economic growth, they also exacerbated inequality, sowing the seeds of future social discontent.
