Edouard Potvin

Allende

Allende's Suicide

““President Allende died last Sept. 11 during a violent military coup that toppled his three‐year old Marxist Government. His widow and daughters have charged that he was slain by the soldiers who rushed the presidential palace in Santiago; the military leaders who seized power assert he shot himself in the mouth.” (A) New York Times 1974On September 11 1973 Salvador Allende shot himself in the head with an AK-47 adorned with a gold plaque etched "To my friend and comrade-in-arms, Fidel Castro.", following a coup supported by the CIA, and led by General Pinochet. Before his final moments he takes time to address his people on the radio, he takes the time to thank the people for supporting him, workers, women, and youth. “I address the youth, those who sang and gave us their joy and their spirit of struggle. I address the man of Chile, the worker, the farmer, the intellectual, those who will be persecuted, because in our country fascism has been already present for many hours — in terrorist attacks, blowing up the bridges, cutting the railroad tracks, destroying the oil and gas pipelines, in the face of the silence of those who had the obligation to protect them. They were committed. History will judge them.”(AS)Allende was then found in his office, dead. He was wrapped in a poncho and carried out of the capitol. “Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!””