How did military leader overthrow the governments of Chile and Argentina in the 1970
In the 1970s, both Chile and Argentina experienced military coups that resulted in the overthrow of their governments. Here is a brief overview of each case:
1. Chile:
On September 11, 1973, General Augusto Pinochet led a military coup against the democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende. Allende, a Marxist, had implemented a series of leftist policies that created divisions within the country. The coup was supported by conservative political forces, some elements of the military, and the United States government due to concerns about the spread of communism.
The coup began with a violent assault on the presidential palace, La Moneda, where Allende took his own life. Pinochet then seized power, dissolved the Congress, banned political parties, and established a military junta that ruled Chile until 1990. Pinochet's rule was characterized by human rights violations, including widespread torture, disappearances, and executions. It was estimated that over 3,000 people were killed or disappeared during his regime.
2. Argentina:
In Argentina, a series of military coups and political instability culminated in the 1976 coup led by General Jorge Videla. The country was facing economic turmoil, political violence, and the perceived threat of leftist guerrilla groups like the Montoneros and ERP (People's Revolutionary Army).
In the context of these challenges, Videla and other military leaders justified their coup as a necessary response to save Argentina from the threat of communism. On March 24, 1976, the military junta took control, overthrowing President Isabel Perón, the widow of former President Juan Perón. The junta consisted of three military officers who ruled the country until 1981 (Videla, Admiral Emilio Massera, and Brigadier Orlando Agosti), with Videla serving as the de facto president.
Under Videla's regime, known as the "Dirty War," severe human rights abuses were committed on a massive scale against suspected leftists, activists, and other opponents of the government. Thousands of people "disappeared," and arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings were widespread. The military junta's rule ended in 1983 with the return of democracy following the Falklands War and growing public dissatisfaction with the ongoing human rights abuses.