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• Guide Note:

  Military dictator Augusto Pinochet ruled Chile after a coup d'etat in 1973 overthrew the democratically-elected Salvador Allende government. Pinochet's 17 year dictatorship was marked by murder, torture and widespread human rights abuses. He amassed a huge fortune, which was stashed in foreign banks, and avoided standing trial in 2001 due to poor health.

• Fast Facts:

  1. Born: November 25, 1915 in Valparaiso, Chile
  2. Spouse: Maria Lucia Hiriart Rodriguez
  3. Religion: Roman Catholic
  4. Successor: Patricio Aylwin
  5. Pinochet's security forces killed 2,600+ people and tortured 28,000+ during his dictatorship
  6. The U.S. supported Allende's overthrow, and assisted Pinochet's regime
  7. Joined other South American dictators in Operation Condor, a secret program to eliminate political opponents
  8. Supported Britain over neighbor Argentina during the 1982 Falklands Conflict, becoming a friend of Margaret Thatcher
  9. Died: December 10, 2006 in Santiago, Chile

• Rise to Power

  On September 11, 1973, the Chilean military, lead by General Augusto Pinichet, overthrew President Salvador Allende in a coup d'état. The reason given by the opposition was that Allende had breached Chile's constitution. The following government was lead by four people: Pinochet, Gustavo Leigh Guzmán, José Toribio Merino Castro and César Mendoza Durán. The four decided on naming Pinochet the head of the Junta. The military dictatorship lasted to 1990.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Chile | South America | Operation Condor

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