Salvador Allende

Salvador Allende was the leader of the Chilean left wing political party Popular Unity. When Popular Unity won the election of 1970 (Minnis, 2002, pg 25), Allende became the president of Chile. The presidency of Allende marked the creation of Chile’s first Socialist Government. The Allende Government, as the party is sometimes called, nationalized Chilean copper mines as part of a banking, commercial, insurance, and industrial reform. Under Allende’s rule, many strikes and economic and social chaos broke loose. The military took over the government in 1973 and told Allende to resign. Allende was overthrown and killed in a 1973 military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet (Minnis, 2002, pg 50).

by Kaylee Arnold

Bibliography

Minnis, N. (2002). Insight Guides Chile. Maspeth, NY: Langenscheidt Publishers, Inc.