Rev Left Radio [BEST OF] Chilean Coup of 1973: Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, & the CIA
May 20, 2025
Join Professor Alex Aviña from Arizona State University as he unpacks the 1973 Chilean coup. Discussing Salvador Allende's quest for democratic socialism, he explores Augusto Pinochet's violent dictatorship and the CIA's critical role in undermining democracy. Topics range from economic sabotage and media misrepresentation of socialism to the brutal realities faced by the Chilean people. Aviña emphasizes the lasting impacts of these historical events and their relevance to contemporary struggles against imperialism and oppression.
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Revolution From Below vs Above
- Workers took over factories without Allende's support and he disapproved, fearing civil war.
- This tension between revolution from below and above shaped the political crisis before the coup.
Pinochet and Military Coup
- Pinochet rose to lead the military by mid-1973, likely already involved in coup plotting.
- The military branches cooperated to violently overthrow Allende on September 11, 1973.
State Terror Under Pinochet
- Pinochet's regime used brutal state terror with disappearances, torture, and killings to suppress revolutionary consciousness.
- Iconic victims like Victor Jara symbolize the ruthless violence used to force submission.
