November 25, 1915 - Augusto Pinochet
His rise through Chile's military establishment was unremarkable until September 1973, when he led the coup that ended South America's longest-running democracy and inaugurated nearly two decades of authoritarian rule. Under his regime, thousands were killed, tortured, or forcibly disappeared through a systematic apparatus of state repression. The involvement of American intelligence services in facilitating the overthrow of a democratically elected government gave his seizure of power a Cold War dimension that extended well beyond Chile's borders.
From Wikipedia
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (25 November 1915 – 10 December 2006) was a Chilean army officer and military dictator who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. He led the military junta that overthrew President Salvador Allende in 1973 and established a dictatorship. He was proclaimed President of Chile in 1974 and served until 1990, when he stepped down to pave the way for democratic elections. Throughout his presidency, thousands of political opponents were tortured or executed. Pinochet is the longest-serving head of state in the history of Chile.
Born in Valparaíso, Pinochet rose through the ranks of the Chilean Army to become General Chief of Staff in early 1972 before being appointed its commander-in-chief on 23 August 1973 by President Salvador Allende. On 11 September 1973, Pinochet seized power in Chile in a military coup. The military had previously received financial and intelligence support from the United States, which favoured the military coup that toppled Allende's democratically elected socialist Unidad Popular government and ended civilian rule.
- Last updated on .