September 11 is not just another date for Chile, a country with more than 19.4 million inhabitants and a GDP of about $301,030 million. Because it commemorates the anniversary of the coup against the socialist Salvador Allende. This is a time when, in addition to the attack on the Twin Towers in a terrorist attack in the USA, the world’s great milestones are enshrined in the collective memory year after year. But this time Chile will mark the 50th anniversary of Pinochet’s coup.
But what actually happened in Chile half a century ago? For this date The Latin American country was on the verge of a break in its democracy and the beginning of major polarization through a coup that was brewing. A story that is already being told by a minority, since 70% of today’s Chileans were not born 50 years ago.
Everything happened in the context of a political crisis that the government of Salvador Allende was experiencing. It was so profound that a plebiscite was held to determine the continuity of government. In it, the then president promised that if he were defeated, he would give up command of the country and form a “national security government”.
That was the coup
According to the portal Memoria Chilena, “The military uprising and coup d’etat was prepared in the early hours of Monday, September 10th, and carried out on the morning of Tuesday, September 11th.” When Allende was informed of the naval uprising, he left he goes to La Moneda Palace at 7:30 a.m in custody of Carabinieri tanks. After the military coup leader’s first statement became known, little by little they withdrew. Then, 45 minutes later, the land attack on the government palace began,” it said.
