The Latin American World - Pinochet

Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet (25 November 1915 – 10 December 2006), was dictator of Chile between 1973 and 1990 and Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army from 1973 to 1998. Pinochet assumed power in Chile following a United States-backed coup d'état on 11 September 1973 that overthrew the elected socialist Unidad Popular government of President Salvador Allende and ended civilian rule. By the time of his death on 10 December 2006, about 300 criminal charges were still pending against him in Chile for numerous human rights violations during his 17-year rule, and tax evasion and embezzlement during and after his rule; he was accused of having corruptly amassed at least US$28 million.