Chile's 9/11 Coup: Salvador Allende's Last Words

[Judi Lynn]

Salvador Allende | Photo: Flickr

Published 11 September 2019

"Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!"


Leftist former Chilean President Salvador Allende gave his last speech to the nation while the presidential palace was surrounded by the coup plotters led by Augusto Pinochet's command.

The U.S.-backed coup on Sept. 11, 1973 was the culmination of a long campaign of sabotage carried out by the local elite class alongside the U.S. administration of Richard Nixon who had said that Washington must "make the economy scream."

Following the coup, 30,000 were killed under Pinochet's rule, with countless tortured and disappeared as the right-wing dictator implemented neoliberal shock therapy to the Chilean economy.

Hours after his speech, Allende committed suicide with an AK-47 rifle gifted to him by Fidel Castro.

Here is the full transcript of his speech:

"My friends,

Surely this will be the last opportunity for me to address you. The Air Force has bombed the towers of Radio Portales and Radio Corporación.

My words do not have bitterness but disappointment. May there be a moral punishment for those who have betrayed their oath: soldiers of Chile, titular commanders in chief, Admiral Merino, who has designated himself Commander of the Navy, and Mr. Mendoza, the despicable general who only yesterday pledged his fidelity and loyalty to the Government, and who also has appointed himself Chief of the Carabineros [national police].

Given these facts, the only thing left for me is to say to workers: I am not going to resign!

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.

More:
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