Augusto Pinochet, whose biography will be discussed later, was born in Valparaiso in 1915, on November 26th. He was a prominent military and statesman, captain general. In 1973, Augusto Pinochet and the Chilean junta came to power. This happened as a result of a coup d'état that overthrew President Salvador Allende and his socialist government.
Biography of Augusto Pinochet
The future statesman was born in the large port city of Valparaiso. Pinochet's father served in the port customs, his mother was a housewife. There were six children in the family, Augusto is the eldest of them.
Since Pinochet came from the middle class, he could secure a decent life for himself only through service in the Armed Forces. At the age of 17, Augusto enters the infantry school. Prior to that, he attended school at the Seminary of St. Raphael and the Quillot and Colechio Institute of St. The hearts of French fathers in their hometown.
Augusto Pinochet studied at the infantry school for four years and received a junior officer rank. After completing his studies, he was sent first toConcepcion to the Chacabuco Regiment and then to Valparaiso to the Maipo Regiment.
In 1948, Pinochet entered the Higher Military Academy, which he successfully graduated in 3 years. After graduation, service in the Armed Forces alternated with teaching activities in educational institutions.
In 1953 Augusto Pinochet's first book "Geography of Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina" was published. At the same time, he received the title of bachelor. After defending his thesis, Pinochet enters the School of Law at the University of Chile. However, he failed to complete it, because in 1956 he was sent to Quito to help organize the Military Academy.
Pinochet returned to Chile only in 1959. Here he was appointed commander of a regiment, then a brigade and a division. In addition, he is engaged in staff work, teaching at the Military Academy. In the same period, the next works "Geopolitics" and "An Essay on the Study of Chile's Geopolitics" were published.
Contradictory information
There is an opinion that in 1967 the unit commanded by Pinochet shot a rally of unarmed miners. As a result, not only workers died, but also several children, as well as a pregnant woman. Information about this event, however, is found in Soviet sources, but not in foreign publications.
In addition, from 1964 to 1968, Augusto Pinochet was not the commander of combat units. During this period, he was deputy head of the Military Academy and lectured there on geopolitics.
In 1969 he was promoted to brigadier and in 1971 to divisional general.
Augusto Pinochet was first appointed to a post under the Allende government in 1971. He became the commander of the Santiago garrison.
In November 1972, Pinochet was Deputy Minister of the Interior. In the same year, he received the post of Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces.
Coup d'état
It all started with a provocation against Prats, a general loyal to the government. Unable to withstand the pressure, he resigned. In his place, Allende appoints Pinochet. There is an entry in Prats' diary in which he says that his resignation is only a prelude to a coup d'état and the greatest betrayal.
The armed rebellion began in 1973, on September 11th. The operation was well planned. During the coup, an attack was carried out on the presidential palace with the use of infantry, aviation, and artillery. The military occupied all government and other state institutions. In addition, Pinochet took steps to prevent the intervention of parts in defense of the current government. Officers who refused to support the coup were shot.
After the overthrow of the Allende government, the Chilean junta was formed. It included: from the army - Pinochet, from the Navy - Jose Merino, from the Air Force - Gustavo Lee Guzman, from the Carabinieri - Cesar Mendoza.
Establish power
Becoming President of the Republic of Chile, Augusto Pinochet managed to concentrate all power in his hands and eliminate all competitors. Shortly after the coup, Gustavo Lee wasdismissed, Merino formally remained in the junta, but was deprived of power. Bonilla, who was the Minister of the Interior, died in a plane crash under strange circumstances.
In 1974, a law was passed declaring Pinochet the supreme bearer of power.
After the coup, a statement was made that the troops must remain true to their duty. A quote by Augusto Pinochet is noteworthy: "Marxists and the situation in the state forced them to take power into their own hands … As soon as calm is restored and the economy is brought out of collapse, the military will return to the barracks."
The change was supposed to happen within the next 20 years. After that, democracy will be established in the state.
According to the law adopted in 1974, Pinochet received broad powers: he could single-handedly decide to declare a state of siege, cancel or approve any regulations, remove and appoint judges. The power of the dictator Pinochet was not limited either by political associations or by parliament. Restrictions could be set by members of the junta, but their power was essentially formal.
Features of the reign of Augusto Pinochet
In the very first days after the coup, a state of internal war was declared. Pinochet considered the Communist Party to be the most dangerous enemy. He declared the need to destroy it, preventing it from spreading throughout the country. Pinochet said: "If they fail to destroy the communists, they will destroyus".
To implement his plans, the dictator created military tribunals, which replaced civilian courts, as well as concentration camps for political prisoners. The most dangerous opponents of the regime of Augusto Pinochet were executed at the stadium "Santiago".
Military intelligence structures were of particular importance during the first years of repression. But after a while it turned out that there are very few existing bodies to implement all the tasks.
Destruction of opponents
In January 1974, a unified national intelligence agency began to form. By the summer, the Office of National Intelligence was formed. It carried out the collection and analysis of information, the physical destruction of opponents of the regime.
In the mid-1970s, the intelligence agency consisted of about 15 thousand people. The department was engaged in the search for and elimination of oppositionists who criticized the authorities from abroad. Prats was the first target. He lived at that time in Argentina. He was blown up in his car with his wife on September 30, 1974. After that, surveillance of the socialist Letelier began (he was Minister of Defense during the years of Allende's rule). On September 11, 1976, he was declared an enemy of the nation and stripped of his Chilean citizenship. 10 days later, he was killed by Chilean special agents in Washington.
In the summer of 1977, the Office was dissolved. Instead, the National Information Center was formed, which reported directly to Pinochet.
Economy
In the field of management, Pinochet went his own wayradical path of "pure transnationalization". The dictator always repeated: "Chile is a country of owners, but not proletarians."
A group of economists formed around the president, some of whom studied under the guidance of professors Friedman and. Harberger in Chicago. They developed a program for the country's transition to a market economy. Friedman closely followed the Chilean experiment and visited the country several times.
Adoption of the constitution
In early 1978, a referendum was held on confidence in the president. Pinochet was supported by 75% of the population. Analysts called the results of the referendum a political victory for the dictator, whose propaganda was based on the anti-American sentiments of the people of Chile, commitment to sovereignty, and national dignity. However, some observers expressed doubts about the reliability of the results.
In the summer of 1980, a referendum was held on the draft constitution. On it, 67% of the population voted for its adoption, 30% - against. In March 1981, the new constitution went into effect, but the implementation of its main articles concerning elections, parties, and congress was delayed for eight years. Without an election, Pinochet was proclaimed constitutional president for an eight-year, re-electionable term.
Deteriorating situation
After a brief economic recovery in 1981-1982. the decline began. At the same time, Pinochet refused to consider the Agreement for the Transition to a Democratic System. In July 1986, a generalstrike.
In early September 1986, an assassination attempt was made on Pinochet. The organizer was the Patriotic Front. M. Rodriguez. However, it was not possible to kill the dictator - the weapons let down the assassins. Motorcyclists rode in front of the presidential motorcade. The partisans let them through and blocked the way for Pinochet's limousine. It was supposed to kill the president with a grenade launcher, but it misfired. The grenade, fired a second time, pierced the glass of the car, but did not explode. During the attack, five of Pinochet's guards were destroyed, but he himself remained alive. By order of the President, the burnt cars were put on public display.
In the summer of 1987, the law on parties came into force. This event had a negative impact on the image of the regime abroad.
Interim plebiscite
It was held in 1988, October 5th. This plebiscite was provided for in the constitution.
After the announcement of the referendum, Pinochet assured voters that all associations, including the opposition, will be able to control the process. The state of emergency was lifted, some former deputies and senators, as well as leaders of a number of left-wing parties, were given the opportunity to return to Chile.
At the end of August, after a brief debate, members of the junta named the only candidate for the presidency of Pinochet. However, this caused resentment among the people. Clashes broke out in which three people were killed, 25 people were injured, and 1,150 were arrested.
The opposition consolidated its forces and by the beginning of the referendum acted moreorganized and determined. About one million people came to the final rally. This demonstration is considered the most massive in the history of Chile.
After receiving the results of the poll, Pinochet began to worry - many predicted the victory of the opposition. To attract voters, he began to give out promises: to increase pensions, salaries for employees, assign 100% subsidies for sewerage and water supply, distribute state lands to peasants.
Referendum results
At the 1988 plebiscite, about 55% of voters voted against Pinochet, and 43% - for. The President could no longer fail to recognize the victory of the opposition. Two weeks later, a colleague and close friend of Pinochet S. Fernandez was removed. At the same time, he was declared almost the main culprit of the loss. Together with Fernandez, eight more ministers lost their posts.
In his speech after the referendum, Pinochet regarded the results as a mistake of citizens. But at the same time, he stated that he recognizes them and respects the decision of the population.
Criminal case
In the autumn of 1998, Pinochet was in a private London clinic preparing for an operation. In this medical institution, he was arrested on suspicion of murder. The warrant was issued by a Spanish court. Pinochet's prosecution began over allegations of the disappearance and murder of hundreds of Spaniards during his reign.
In Spain demanded the extradition of the former president. However, the London court recognized that Pinochet is a senator for life, and therefore has immunity. This decision was overturned by the House of Lords, which recognized the lawfulness of the arrest. Meanwhile, Chile insisted on the illegality of the arrest and extradition of Pinochet to Spain.
At the end of October, the lawyers' request to release the former president on bail was granted. At the same time, several restrictions were imposed on it. According to one of them, Pinochet was supposed to be under constant police protection in one of the hospitals in London.
At the end of March 1999, the House of Lords passed a decision exempting the dictator from liability for acts that took place before 1988. At the same time, he was deprived of immunity for crimes that he committed later. The decision, thus, allowed to exclude about 27 episodes in which Spain sought the extradition of Pinochet.
Conclusion
From 2000 to 2006, there were numerous trials, during which the former Chilean leader completely lost all immunity. At the end of October 2006, he was charged with kidnapping (36 people), torture (23 cases) and one murder. In addition, Pinochet was accused of arms and drug trafficking, tax evasion.
Pinochet had a severe heart attack on December 3, 2006. On the same day, due to his serious condition and the danger of life, communion and unction were performed on him. The famous dictator died on December 10, 2006 in a hospital in Santiago.
