Augusto Pinochet

Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November 25, 1915 – December 10, 2006) was a Chilean military officer and dictator who ruled Chile as president from 1973 to 1990, following a U.S.-backed coup that overthrew democratically elected President Salvador Allende on September 11, 1973. Pinochet’s regime was marked by severe human rights abuses, neoliberal economic reforms, and anti-communist policies, making him one of the most controversial figures in Latin American history.

Early Life and Education

Augusto Pinochet was born on November 25, 1915, in Valparaíso, Chile, to a middle-class family of French-Breton descent. His father, Augusto Pinochet Vera, was a customs official, and his mother, Avelina Ugarte Martínez, was a homemaker who instilled conservative Catholic values. • Education: Pinochet entered the Military School of Santiago in 1933 at age 17, graduating in 1936 as a second lieutenant in the infantry. He pursued further studies at the War Academy in Santiago but was delayed by assignments, completing his officer training in 1948. • Early Influences: Pinochet’s military upbringing and exposure to anti-communist ideologies shaped his worldview. He admired strongman figures and Chile’s conservative military tradition, which emphasized order and discipline.

Military Career

Pinochet’s military career spanned nearly four decades, during which he rose through the ranks and cultivated a reputation for loyalty and discipline, though he was not initially seen as a political figure.

1 Early Assignments (1936–1950s): ◦ Pinochet served in various infantry regiments, including postings in Concepción and Iquique. He taught at the Military School and studied geopolitics, developing an interest in military strategy and anti-communism. ◦ In the 1940s, he was briefly detained for suspected involvement in a pro-Nazi group, reflecting the era’s political tensions, but faced no charges.

2 Rise Through the Ranks (1950s–1970): ◦ By 1953, Pinochet was promoted to major and appointed professor at the War Academy, where he published works on geopolitics and military history, including Geopolitics (1968). He served in Washington, D.C., as a military attaché (1956–1959), gaining exposure to U.S. military doctrines. ◦ He commanded regiments in the 1960s and was promoted to brigadier general in 1968, serving as chief of staff of the 6th Division in Iquique.

3 Pre-Coup Role (1970–1973): ◦ During Salvador Allende’s presidency (1970–1973), Pinochet maintained a low profile, earning Allende’s trust as a constitutionalist. In 1971, he was promoted to division general and commanded the Santiago garrison, a key position. ◦ In August 1973, Allende appointed Pinochet as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army, replacing General Carlos Prats, who resigned under pressure from right-wing factions. Pinochet’s appointment was a critical miscalculation, as he was already conspiring with coup plotters.

Coup and Dictatorship

On September 11, 1973, Pinochet led a military coup, backed by the U.S. and CIA, to overthrow Allende’s socialist government. The coup marked the start of his 17-year dictatorship.

• The Coup: ◦ The military, with Pinochet as the de facto leader of a four-man junta (representing the army, navy, air force, and police), bombed the presidential palace, La Moneda, and stormed it. Allende died, officially by suicide, though assassination theories persist. ◦ The CIA’s role was significant, having spent $8 million on propaganda, opposition funding, and economic sabotage under Track I and Track II operations, as documented in declassified U.S. records. Thomas G. Clines, deputy chief of the CIA’s Western Hemisphere Division, and Theodore Shackley, its chief, oversaw these efforts, with Edwin P. Wilson’s front companies potentially supplying arms to anti-Allende factions.

• Consolidation of Power: ◦ Pinochet declared himself president of the junta in 1974, sidelining other members like Admiral José Toribio Merino. He ruled by decree, dissolving Congress, banning leftist parties, and censoring the media. ◦ The regime established the DINA (National Intelligence Directorate), a secret police force led by Manuel Contreras, which orchestrated widespread repression.

• Human Rights Abuses: ◦ Pinochet’s regime was responsible for over 3,200 deaths or disappearances, 38,000 cases of torture, and the exile of 200,000 Chileans, according to the Rettig and Valech Commissions. Political opponents, intellectuals, and activists were targeted, with notorious cases like the Caravan of Death, where military squads executed prisoners. ◦ Operation Condor, a U.S.-backed regional network, coordinated repression with dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil, and others, sharing intelligence and assassinating exiles. Pinochet’s DINA played a key role, orchestrating the 1976 assassination of Orlando Letelier in Washington, D.C.

• Economic Reforms: ◦ Pinochet adopted neoliberal policies under the Chicago Boys, economists trained at the University of Chicago under Milton Friedman. They privatized state industries, reduced trade barriers, and cut social spending, leading to initial economic growth but severe inequality and a 1982 recession. ◦ U.S. support, including loans from the IMF and World Bank, bolstered the regime’s economic agenda, reversing Allende’s nationalizations.

CIA and U.S. Connections

◦ The CIA’s support for the coup involved funding opposition groups, media like El Mercurio, and economic sabotage, as ordered by President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger. Clines and Shackley, key CIA figures, directed these efforts, with Wilson’s logistics potentially aiding anti-communist forces. ◦ Pinochet maintained close ties with U.S. intelligence, receiving training and support through the School of the Americas. His regime’s anti-communist stance aligned with U.S. Cold War objectives, though public backlash over human rights abuses strained relations by the late 1970s.

Decline and Transition to Democracy

Pinochet’s regime faced growing opposition due to economic crises and human rights abuses, leading to its eventual end. • 1980 Constitution: Pinochet enacted a new constitution, legitimizing his rule until 1989 and granting him significant powers. A controversial plebiscite, marred by fraud allegations, approved it. • Opposition and Protests: By the 1980s, labor unions, student groups, and the Catholic Church organized protests. The 1982 economic crisis, with 20% unemployment, fueled dissent. The Concertación, a center-left coalition, emerged as a unified opposition. • 1988 Plebiscite: Under international pressure, Pinochet held a referendum on October 5, 1988, to extend his rule. He lost, with 56% voting “No” to his continuation, forcing a democratic transition. • Transition: Pinochet stepped down as president on March 11, 1990, after Patricio Aylwin won the 1989 election. He remained Commander-in-Chief of the Army until 1998, retaining significant influence.

Post-Dictatorship and Legal Battles

After leaving power, Pinochet faced legal challenges for his regime’s atrocities but avoided conviction. • Legal Accountability: ◦ In 1998, Pinochet was arrested in London on a Spanish warrant for human rights violations, including the murder of Spanish citizens. Detained for 16 months, he was released in 2000 on health grounds and returned to Chile. ◦ Chilean courts pursued cases against him, stripping his immunity in 2004. By 2006, he faced charges for murder, kidnapping, and tax evasion, with over $28 million in secret bank accounts uncovered. Failing health prevented trials. • International Context: Pinochet’s prosecution was part of a broader push for accountability in Latin America, influenced by Operation Condor revelations and global human rights campaigns. His ties to U.S.-backed operations, including CIA support, were scrutinized in declassified documents.

Death and Legacy

Pinochet died on December 10, 2006, in Santiago, Chile, at age 91, from heart failure, without facing conviction. His death polarized Chile: supporters mourned him as a savior from communism, while victims’ families and activists condemned his atrocities. • Legacy: Pinochet remains a divisive figure. His neoliberal reforms laid the foundation for Chile’s economic growth, but his human rights abuses, with over 3,200 killed or disappeared, left deep scars. The Rettig and Valech Commissions documented his regime’s crimes, fueling demands for justice.