Chilean coup (1973)

The Chilean coup of 1973 was a military overthrow of President Salvador Allende, who was democratically elected in 1970. Tensions between the government, opposition, and foreign influences led to unrest and economic troubles. On September 11, 1973, the military, supported by the U.S. government, launched a violent campaign, bombing the presidential palace and arresting Allende, who died during the attack. The coup installed Augusto Pinochet as dictator, initiating a brutal regime characterized by repression, human rights abuses, and neoliberal economic reforms that reshaped Chile’s society and politics.