Introduction to international law - Essay Example

s, military geography and intelligence and success in the various positions he held in the Chilean military, he rose up to the position of General Chief of Staff of the Army at the beginning of 1972. With rising domestic strife in Chile, Pinochet was appointed Army Commander in Chief on August 23, 1973 by President Salvador Allende just the day after the Chamber of Deputies of Chile approved the August 22, 1973 Resolution asserting that Allende was not respecting the Constitution.1 On September 11, 1973, the Armed Forces overthrew Allendes government in a coup, during which the presidential palace, La Moneda, was shelled, while Allende committed suicide.

The coup put an end to the Presidential Republic of Chile which had lasted from 1924 to 1973. A military junta was established immediately following the coup, made up of General Pinochet representing the Army, Admiral José Toribio Merino representing the Navy, General Gustavo Leigh representing the Air Force, and General César Mendoza representing the Carabineros (national police). The junta ussurped the powers of the executive and legislative branches of the government, suspended the Constitution and the Congress, imposed strict censorship and curfew, proscribed the left-wing parties and halted all political activities.

This military junta governed until December 17, 1974, after which it functioned strictly as a legislative body. The junta members originally planned for the presidency to rotate among the commanders-in-chief of the four military branches. However, Pinochet soon consolidated his control, first retaining sole chairmanship of the military junta, and then proclaiming himself "Supreme Chief of the Nation" (de facto provisional president) on June 27, 1974. He officially changed his title to “President” on December 17, 1974.

2 In October 1973, at least 70 people were killed by the Caravan of Death, to which Manuel Contreras, later head of the DINA intelligence service, participated. Charles