Moneda Palace
entrance on the Plaza de la Constitución
flag of Chile with government seal
entrance from the Plaza de la Constitución
interior Canon courtyard
the canon
interior Fountain courtyard
the fountain
looking through the doorway to O'Higgins street
a modern sculpture
Allende Gossens, Salvador (1908-1973), president of Chile (1970-1973). Allende was the first Socialist to be elected president of Chile, but he was overthrown and died during a coup that ushered in 16 years of military rule.
Allende was born in Valparaíso, Chile, to an upper middle class family. As a
student at the University of Chile he became involved in radical politics,
espousing Marxism. He was arrested twice for his activism and suspended from
school for a time. After completing his medical studies, he helped to found
Chile's Socialist Party in 1933 and was elected in 1937 to the lower house of
Congress, where he developed a reputation as a champion of the poor. He served
as national minister of health from 1939 to 1942, and was especially concerned
with the social causes of ill health. He became leader of the Socialist Party in
1942 and was elected to the Senate in 1945.
Allende ran unsuccessfully for president in 1952, 1958, and 1964, a period that
saw increasing pressure within Chile for economic and political change. In 1970
Allende ran again as the candidate of Unidad Popular (Popular Unity), a
coalition of the Socialist, Communist, and other political parties. In a
three-way race that included a conservative and a centrist candidate, Allende
narrowly won the presidency, receiving just over 36 percent of the vote.
Allende called for profound social and economic change in Chile but also for
continuing traditional democratic political institutions. His policies aimed to
improve conditions for the poor and diminish the role of private property and
corporations, especially foreign-owned companies, in Chile's economy. Allende
called this the "Chilean Road" to socialism, via peaceful democratic elections
and legislation, rather than through violent revolutions, such as those of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) or Cuba.
In pursuing his goals, Allende increased the speed of land reform, breaking up
large estates and giving land to poor farmers. He nationalized many businesses,
including coal, steel, and the vital copper industry. His government also froze
prices, raised wages, subsidized milk, and made medical care and education
available to children.
Some of these measures had broad support. The nationalization of foreign-owned
copper mines was unanimously approved by Chile's Congress, even though the
legislature was controlled by Allende's opposition. Other measures provoked
resistance from the middle and upper classes, who opposed state seizure of
private property. While these sectors thought Allende had gone too far, many of
his supporters-including organized labor, poor farm workers, and the Socialist
Party-thought he had not gone far enough. They participated in strikes, land and
factory takeovers, and demonstrations to demand further changes.
Allende, who had won the presidency by a slim margin, never gained majority
support within Chile. He also had many foreign opponents, especially the United
States government, which was hostile to Allende's Socialist policies and opposed
nationalization of companies owned by United States corporations. Under
President Richard Nixon, the United States sought to prevent Allende's
inauguration and then to speed his overthrow through economic pressure and
covert aid to his opponents. The United States discouraged new private
investment in Chile and blocked funds from the International Monetary Fund,
World Bank, and Interamerican Development Bank. The U.S. Central Intelligence
Agency secretly sent at least $10 million to Chilean groups that opposed
Allende.
The U.S. pressure and Allende's policies contributed to problems in Chile's
economy, which suffered from high inflation and food shortages. Violence and
unrest increased as the population grew more sharply divided between supporters
of radical reform and opponents of the Allende government.
On September 11, 1973, Allende was overthrown in a violent military coup led by
General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. During the coup Allende was offered safe exile
but chose to remain in the presidential offices, which were attacked with rocket
fire and besieged by army troops. When the siege ended, Allende was found dead
of bullet wounds. Official reports state that Allende committed suicide, but
many assert that he was assassinated by the invading soldiers.
Text from Microsoft Encarta
commemoration for Allende at the interior room where he died
Happier Days
Marathon Sunday
(last chance before the run)
ready for the run
waiting her turn
all enjoying Chewy
another view
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Agriculture
President of Chile, 1964 - 1970
On the corner of the Plaza de la Constitución
seeing it all