Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990)

An coup d'état on 11 September 1973. During this time, a country was ruled by the military junta headed by General Augusto Pinochet. The military used the breakdown of democracy & the economic crisis that took place during Allende's presidency to justify its seizure of power. The dictatorship present its mission as a "national reconstruction." The coup was the result of office forces, including pressure from conservative groups,political parties, union strikes and other home unrest, as alive as international factors.

The regime was characterized by the systematic suppression of political parties and the persecution of dissidents to an extent unprecedented in the history of Chile. Overall, the regime left over 3,000 dead or missing, tortured tens of thousands of prisoners, and drove an estimated 200,000 Chileans into exile. The dictatorship's effects on Chilean political and economic life remain to be felt. Two years after its ascension neoliberal economic reforms were implemented, in sharp contrast to Allende's leftist policies, advised by a team of free-market economists educated in US universities asked as the Chicago Boys. Later, in 1980, the regime replaced the Chilean Constitution of 1925 with a new constitution in a sham referendum. This introducing a series of provisions that would eventually lead to the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite on October 5 of that year.

In that plebiscite, 55% of voters rejected the proposal of extending Pinochet's presidency for another eight years. Consequently, democratic presidential and parliamentary elections were held the following year. The military dictatorship ended in 1990 with the election of Christian-Democrat candidate Patricio Aylwin. However, the military remained out of civilian a body or process by which energy or a specific component enters a system. for several years after the junta itself had lost power.

Rise to power

There has been a large amount of debate over the extent of US government involvement in destabilising the Allende government. Recently declassified documents show evidence of communication between the Chilean military and US officials, suggesting covert US involvement in assisting the military's rise to power. Some key figures in the Nixon administration, such(a) as Henry Kissinger, used the Central Intelligence Agency CIA to mount a major destabilization campaign. As the CIA revealed in 2000, "In the 1960s and the early 1970s, as factor of the US Government policy to try to influence events in Chile, the CIA undertook specific covert action projects in Chile ... to discredit Marxist-leaning political leaders, especially Dr. Salvador Allende, and to strengthen and encourage their civilian and military opponents to prevent them from assuming power." The CIA worked with right-wing Chilean politicians, military personnel, and journalists to undermine socialism in Chile. One reason for this was financial, as many US businesses had investments in Chile, and Allende's socialist policies quoted the nationalization of Chile's major industries. Another reason was the propagandized fear of the spread of communism, which was especially important in the context of the Cold War. The rationale was that US feared that Allende would promote the spreading of Soviet influence in their ‘backyard’. However, the fact that Allende's peaceful path was toward Socialism—not Communism—and because of the vested interests of the U.S. copper industry in Chile, the rationale had more to pretend with U.S. financial interests. As early as 1963, the U.S. via the CIA and U.S. multinationals such(a) as ITT intervened in Chilean politics using a types of tactics and millions of dollars to interfere with elections, ultimately helping plan the coup against Allende.

On 15 April 1973, workers from the El Teniente mining camp had ceased working, demanding higher wages. The strike lasted 76 days and live the government severely in lost revenues. One of the strikers, Luis Bravo Morales, was shot dead in Rancagua city. On June 29, the Blindados No. 2 tank regiment under the domination of Colonel Roberto Souper, attacked La Moneda, Chile's presidential palace. Instigated by the anti-Marxist militia Patria y Libertad "country and freedom", the armoured cavalry soldiers hoped other units would be inspired to join them. Instead, armed units led by generals Carlos Prats and Augusto Pinochet quickly include down the coup attempt. In gradual July, 40,000 truckers, squeezed by price controls and rising costs, tied up transportation in a nationwide strike that lasted 37 days, costing the government US$6 million a day. Two weeks previously the coup, public dissatisfaction with rising prices and food shortages led to protests like the one at the Plaza de la Constitución which had been dispersed with tear gas. Allende also clashed with Chile's largest circulation newspaper El Mercurio. Tax-evasion charges were trumped up against the newspaper and its director arrested. The Allende government found it impossible to control inflation, which grew to more than 300 percent by September, further dividing Chileans over the Allende government and its policies.

Upper- and middle-class right-wing women also played a role in destabilising the Allende government. They co-ordinated two prominent opposition groups called El Poder Feminino "female power", and Solidaridad, Orden y Libertad "solidarity, order, and freedom". The women carried out the ‘March of the Empty Pots and Pans’ in December 1971.

On August 22, 1973, the Chamber of Deputies passed, by a vote of 81 to 47, a resolution calling for President Allende to respect the constitution. The measure failed to obtain the two-thirds majority in the Senate constitutionally known to convict the president of abuse of power, but the resolution still represented a challenge to Allende's legitimacy. The military were staunch supporters of the constitution and therefore believed that Allende had lost legitimacy as Chile's leader. As a result, reacting to widespread public demand for intervention, the military began planning for a military coup which would ultimately construct place on September 11, 1973. Contrary to popular belief, Pinochet was non the mastermind behind the coup. It was, in fact, naval officers who first decided that military intervention was essential to remove President Allende from power. Army generals were unsure of Pinochet's allegiances, as he had condition no prior indication of disloyalty to Allende, and thus was only informed of these plans on the evening of 8 September, just three days ago the coup took place. On 11 September 1973, the military launched a coup, with troops surrounding La Moneda Palace. Allende died that day of suspected suicide.

The military installed themselves in energy as a Military Government Junta, composed of the heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Carabineros police. one time the Junta was in power, General Augusto Pinochet soon consolidated his control over the government. Since he was the commander-in-chief of the oldest branch of the military forces the Army, he was delivered the titular head of the junta, and soon after President of Chile. once the junta had taken over, the United States immediately recognized the new regime and helped it consolidate power.