On this day 1973: The Death of Salvador Allende

On this day in 1973, the democratically elected President Salvador Allende took his life in the bombed and destroyed Palacio de La Moneda, the Chilean presidential palace, after a desperate firefight with the Army forces performing an American-prepared and -supported coup against his Socialist Popular Front-government.

According to eyewitnesses, as ammunition and supplies ran out, Allende shot himself with an AK-47 that was a gift by none other than Fidel Castro, a good friend of Allende.

The leader of the Putsch, General Augusto Pinochet, quickly turned Chile’s democratic government into a quasi-fascist Junta, responsible for more than 80.000 dead and many more scarred for life by horrendous torturing. So, always remember that the horrible events of 2001 are not the only thing to be remembered on this tragic day. Let us hope that one day, everyone on this world can live in peace the way they want to.