On September 11, 1973, Chile’s democracy collapsed in a violent military coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende. Led by General Augusto Pinochet, the coup ended Chile’s long tradition of democratic governance and ushered in 17 years of military dictatorship.
The Road to the Coup
Salvador Allende, a Marxist and leader of the Popular Unity coalition, had been elected president in 1970, making him the first democratically elected socialist leader in Latin America. Allende’s program of nationalizing key industries, including U.S.-owned copper mines, and implementing sweeping social reforms polarized Chilean society. Inflation soared, strikes paralyzed industries, and political tensions deepened.
The United States, fearing another ally of the Soviet Union in the Western Hemisphere, covertly sought to undermine Allende’s government. Under President Richard Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, the CIA funded propaganda, supported opposition parties, and backed groups that destabilized the economy. While evidence suggests the U.S. did not directly execute the coup, it helped create the conditions for it to succeed.
The Day Of
In the early hours of September 11, 1973, the Chilean navy seized Valparaíso and issued a demand for President Allende to resign. By mid-morning, the army, air force, and police had joined forces against him. Fighter jets bombed La Moneda, the presidential palace, while tanks and troops surrounded the building.
Inside, Allende gave a defiant farewell address on national radio, refusing to resign and pledging loyalty to Chile’s constitution. Later that afternoon, he died in the palace—most accounts agree by suicide with an assault rifle given to him by Fidel Castro. His words, “I have faith in Chile and its destiny… the great avenues will again be opened,” became a symbol of resistance.
The Pinochet Regime
Following the coup, a military junta led by Pinochet dissolved Congress, banned left-wing parties, and suspended political activity. Chile’s national stadium was converted into a detention and torture center. In the years that followed, more than 3,000 Chileans were killed, reported missing or disappeared, and tens of thousands were imprisoned and tortured.
International Fallout
The aftermath of the coup rippled far beyond Chile. Images of La Moneda in flames stunned the world. Human rights abuses committed under Pinochet galvanized global condemnation and influenced U.S. foreign policy debates. In Washington, revelations of CIA involvement fueled congressional oversight of intelligence agencies and contributed to the rise of a human rights agenda in U.S. diplomacy.
The coup of September 11, 1973, remains one of the most significant ruptures in modern Latin American history. It ended Chile’s reputation as a stable democracy, replacing it with nearly two decades of authoritarian rule.