Augusto Pinochet

Pinochet led a military coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende. The coup involved bombing the presidential palace and resulted in Allende's death, establishing a military junta with Pinochet as its leader.

Pinochet ordered a military death squad to travel across Chile, executing political prisoners. At least 75 people were killed without trial, marking the beginning of systematic human rights abuses under his regime.

Pinochet enacted a new constitution approved in a disputed referendum. It entrenched military influence, limited political freedoms, and allowed Pinochet to remain president until 1990, shaping Chile's political system.

Pinochet lost a national plebiscite on extending his rule, with 55% voting 'No'. The result forced him to step down in 1990, leading to Chile's transition to democracy after 17 years of dictatorship.

Pinochet was arrested in London under a Spanish extradition warrant for human rights crimes. The arrest sparked international legal debates on universal jurisdiction and held him under house arrest for 16 months.