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.
In 1980, Pinochet had a new constitution voted in that granted him an extra term in office. But political opposition grew, with more and more nationwide protests. In 1988, the dictator lost a plebiscite on a new eight-year term. He was forced to organise elections, which he also lost, and finally relinquished power in 1990.
