Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (1915-2006) was a Chilean military leader and dictator who served as president of Chile from 1973 to 1990. Born to a middle-class family in Valparaiso, Chile, Pinochet was the son of a customs official. He attended military school and became a career officer in the Chilean Army.
Pinochet rose quickly through the ranks of the military and was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean army in 1973 by President Salvador Allende. Following a military coup, Pinochet assumed control of the country and dissolved the existing government. He declared himself president and dissolved the Congress, replacing it with a military junta.
In the following 17 years, Pinochet implemented a brutal campaign of repression, repressing dissent and eliminating political opponents. His policies led to the deaths of thousands of people and the disappearance of hundreds more. He also implemented economic reforms that increased the country’s economic growth but widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
Pinochet stepped down from power in 1990 and was eventually put on trial for human rights abuses. He was found guilty of several crimes, including kidnapping, torture, and murder. He was sentenced to house arrest but was later pardoned by then-President Ricardo Lagos.
During the last years of his life, Pinochet was plagued by numerous health problems and faced numerous legal battles. He died in 2006 at the age of 91.
Throughout his life, Pinochet was a divisive figure of both admiration and revulsion. While his economic reforms were credited with bringing prosperity to Chile, his use of violence against his opponents was widely condemned. His legacy continues to be debated to this day.
