In 1970, Chile sent shockwaves through the Cold War-ridden world, particularly rattling the White House in Washington DC, as Salvador Allende became the world's first democratically elected Marxist president. Allende promptly embarked on a socialist trajectory for Chile, but from the outset, he faced challenges from both internal and external forces. US President Richard Nixon instructed his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, to orchestrate measures aimed at causing upheaval in Chile, stating his desire to \"make Chile scream.\"
By 1973, Chile's economic situation had severely deteriorated, exacerbated in no small part by US economic blockades. The Chilean military, traditionally non-political until then, chose to intervene and oust Allende from power. The coup unfolded on September 11, 1973, a day that continues to cast a lingering shadow over Chile. The subsequent regime, led by dictator Augusto Pinochet, left an enduring legacy that still haunts the country to this day.
I am joined by fellow history buff Teo to discuss the coup itself and its repercussions In Chile to this day.
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