Augusto Pinochet
A Ruthless Leader of Chile
How has Pinochet's suppression of the Chilean people impacted Chilean lifestyle?
- Born: November 25, 1915, Valparaiso, Chile
- Goes to military school for many years, later he's appointed as Sub director of the War Academy
- Appointed as division General and General Chief of Staff of the army
- August 23, 1973: President Allende appoints Pinochet as Commander-in-chief
- September 11, 1973: Pinochet, assisted by the C.I.A. overthrow Allende. Pinochet becomes head of the Junta's governing council
- Pinochet wants to dispose of any liberal opposition, known as Operation Condor
- created the secret police which caused many kidnappings, assassinations, and other dissapearences
- 130,000 jailed, 3,000 disappear
- Opposition groups form in protest of Pinochet's leadership
- Government responds with force suppressing the protesters
- Pinochet loses the 1988 election but remains commander-in-chief
- He steps down from his position but under the constitution he holds a seat in senate for life
0:00-3:00
A letter from a prisoner
Have you arrived yet in America, if so how is it. Here in Chile not much has changed in the prison. My back from sleeping on he bare floor is one of the least of my problems. Everyday more and more people arrive here only taking away from our daily rations. The torture has not gotten any less brutal. One of my friends attempted to escape yesterday, he was caught and shot immediately In return all of us were tortured more severely as a threat to keep anyone else from trying to escape. I heard a rumor of an assassination plot on Pinochet, this is my last hope to get out of this hell. I hope all is going well in America and don't worry for me, I'll be fine.
Your cousin,
Cristobal
Works Cited
"CBC News In Depth: Chile." CBC.ca - Canadian News Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/chile/pinochet.html>