Modern Era · South America · Politics

1970

Allende elected in Chile

September 4, 1970

Salvador Allende, a Marxist physician, won a narrow plurality in the Chilean presidential election, becoming the first Marxist leader elected through democratic means in the Americas. He promised a peaceful road to socialism, nationalized the copper mines, and quickly made enemies in Washington and among Chile's oligarchs. Three years later he would be dead in the presidential palace, and Chile would be under military rule.

More from 1970 Modern Era

In context

Also in 1970 (5 other events on record)

First Earth Day · North America · Politics
Bhola cyclone kills five hundred thousand · South Asia · Disaster
Black September expels the PLO from Jordan · Middle East · War
Kent State shootings · North America · Politics
Mishima commits ritual suicide · East Asia · Culture

Before and after in South America

Before: 1967: Che Guevara killed in Bolivia
After: September 11, 1973: Pinochet coup in Chile

Before and after in Politics

Before: September 1, 1969: Gaddafi seizes Libya
After: August 15, 1971: Nixon ends gold standard

Era

Modern Era (1901–2000), one of 590 events from that era on Saeculum.

Sources

Wikipedia: Salvador Allende