Salvador Guillermo Allende
Salvador Guillermo Allende
First elected Marxist head of state; pursued the peaceful 'Chilean road to socialism' (copper, land, cybernetics) until the 1973 coup
“I am not going to resign! Placed in a historic transition, I will pay for loyalty to the people with my life.” — last radio address, La Moneda, 11 September 1973
The world's first democratically elected Marxist head of state. His 'Chilean road to socialism', nationalizing copper, redistributing land, and building the Cybersyn cybernetic planning system, was cut short by the 1973 military coup.
Career timeline
- 1932Medical degree, University of Chile
- 1933Co-founded the Socialist Party; arrested, six months imprisoned
- 1938–1942Minister of Health, Popular Front — first healthcare access for the poor
- 1945–1970Senator; President of the Senate (1966–1969)
- 1952, 1958, 1964Presidential candidacies for FRAP — three defeats
- 1970Elected president (36.6%) leading Popular Unity; inaugurated 24 October
- 1970–1973Copper nationalization, land reform, Cybersyn — the 'Chilean road'
- 1973.09.11Military coup — final radio address from La Moneda; took his own life