This Day in History

Nov. 3, 1970: Salvador Allende Became President of Chile

Time Periods: 1961
Themes: US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
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On Nov. 3, 1970, Salvador Allende became president of Chile, despite attempts by the United States government to prevent his election.

Salvador Allende | Zinn Education Project

By James N. Wallace, U.S. News & World Report Magazine/Library of Congress.

Allende immediately began to nationalize large-scale industries (notably U.S. copper mining and banking), expand access to health care and education, offer free milk for children, redistribute large land holdings, raise the minimum wage, support public work projects and public arts, and promote widespread voter participation.

Within three years, the CIA funded a coup that led to Allende’s death and the brutal dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

Learn more in interview “The Shock Doctrine: Naomi Klein on the Rise of Disaster Capitalism” on Democracy Now!

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This Day in History

Sept. 11, 1973: U.S.-Backed Coup in Chile

Chile’s democratically elected president, Salvador Allende was killed in a U.S.-backed coup.

This Day in History

Sept. 21, 1976: Sheridan Circle Car Bomb

Orlando Letelier and Ronni Moffitt were killed in Washington, D.C. by a U.S.-backed Augusto Pinochet regime car bomb.