It has been 50 years since Chile’s military junta came to power. On September 11, 1973, the army headed by General Augusto Pinochet launched a coup with the US’ covert backing. Soldiers took over the presidential palace, ousting leftist President Salvador Allende, who committed suicide. Pinochet then stayed in power for 17 years, a period of dictatorship that saw more than 3,000 people killed or missing and around 200,000 fleeing into exile. Even today, the constitution that was tailor-made for him in 1980 is still in force, although there are lively debates about amending it. FRANCE 24’s Juliette Chaignon and Guillaume Gosalbes report.
Five decades on, Chile still grapples with legacy of Pinochet dictatorship • FRANCE 24 English
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