Salvador Allende

About Salvador Allende

The first democratically elected Marxist president in the Americas. Allendes socialist reforms included nationalizing copper mines and redistributing land. His policies divided Chile and led to economic crisis. On September 11, 1973, the military overthrew Allende in a CIA supported coup. Allende died during the assault on the presidential palace, allegedly by suicide. General Augusto Pinochet took power and ruled as a dictator for 17 years. Allende became a martyr for the Latin American left. His death symbolized the end of democratic socialism and the beginning of authoritarian repression in South America.