Salvador Allende (1908 - 1973)
Fri Jun 26, 1908
Salvador Allende, born on this day in 1908, was a Chilean physician and politician who became the first Marxist leader to be elected president in a Latin American liberal democracy. He was ousted by CIA-assisted fascists in 1973.
Allende, whose political career spanned nearly four decades, achieved the presidency as the candidate of the Popular Unity coalition, serving from 1970 to 1973.
As president, Allende sought to nationalize major industries, expand education and improve the living standards of the working class. His administration gave educational grants to indigenous children, implemented literacy programs in impoverished areas, and established a minimum wage for workers of all ages.
On September 11th, 1973, the military ousted Allende in a coup d'état assisted by Henry Kissinger and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
As troops surrounded La Moneda Palace, Allende gave his final speech to the public, vowing not to resign. Later that day, Allende died of a gunshot wound, concluded to be a suicide by an investigation conducted by a Chilean court with the assistance of international experts in 2011.
"Placed in a historic transition, I will pay for loyalty to the people with my life. And I say to them that I am certain that the seed which we have planted in the good conscience of thousands and thousands of Chileans will not be shriveled forever. They have strength and will be able to dominate us, but social processes can be arrested neither by crime nor force. History is ours, and people make history."
- Salvador Allende, September 11th, 1973
- Date: 1908-06-26
- Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, jacobinmag.com.
- Tags: #Marxism, #Birthdays.
- Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org