Margaret thatcher e augusto pinochet biography

His widow said he had been killed by the rebels. Others said he had committed suicide. Growing difficulties Two days later Pinochet was named president of a ruling junta. Civil rights were suspended, Marxist political parties outlawed, the power of unions reduced, and heavy censorship introduced. Many intellectuals went abroad. Allende was found dead in the ruins of the presidential palace It became known later that the CIA had spent millions to destabilise the Allende government.

In June Pinochet became president. In a new constitution was approved, and the following year Pinochet was sworn in for an eight-year presidential term. In the s he faced growing difficulties. His policies had dramatically reduced the rate of inflation, bringing prosperity to the professional and commercial sectors. Unemployment, however, had soared and in an economic recession saw riots on the streets of Santiago.

Britain's discreet ally During the Falklands conflict in , Chile had been Britain's discreet ally against Argentina, and, despite Labour protests, Margaret Thatcher's government ended a ban on arms exports to Chile. Over the years, President Pinochet acquired a degree of international acceptance, and he did make some concessions to democracy but, in October , the electorate, given the straight choice of voting for him or against him, rejected him by Pinochet enjoyed a warm welcome on his return to Chile He reluctantly accepted the result and, though he refused opposition demands to hand over power immediately, he stepped down as president two years later.

However, he remained head of the Chilean armed forces for another seven years when, to the dismay of his political opponents, he became a senator for life in Chile's now democratic parliament. If Augusto Pinochet thought he would enjoy a quiet retirement, he was mistaken. A regular visitor to Britain, where he had many friends, he was arrested in October , while undergoing medical treatment in London.

Emotional return A Spanish court had requested his extradition to face charges over alleged human rights abuses and, amid much legal wrangling, the British government placed him under house arrest.

Margaret thatcher e augusto pinochet biography

Days before his arrest he was invited for tea at the former premier's home. Front Page. UK Politics. Talking Point. In Depth. General Pinochet: Free market pioneer Baroness Thatcher demanded his immediate release in a letter to the Times newspaper on Thursday. In her letter, Baroness Thatcher wrote: "By his actions the [Falklands] war was shortened and many British lives were saved.

Baroness Thatcher: General Pinochet made a great impact But it is General Pinochet's adoption of the ideas expressed by the American economist Milton Friedman that is believed to have had the greatest impact on Baroness Thatcher. The general seized power in from the Marxist government of Salvador Allende and immediately overturned its state controls in favour of a programme of sweeping privatisations in accordance with Friedman's free market thinking.

It won Baroness Thatcher's admiration and, to some extent emulation in the reforms she brought in as prime minister. Her political philosophy was based on reducing state control, creating flexible labor markets, privatizing state-owned companies, and weakening the power of trade unions. Initially, Thatcher enjoyed popularity but gradually lost support due to financial instability and persistent unemployment.

In , Thatcher's handling of the hunger strikes in Northern Ireland worsened the already unstable situation, and the Irish Republican Army even attempted to assassinate her. However, the Falklands War in boosted Thatcher's popularity and helped her win the elections. She was re-elected for a third term in During this period, Thatcher implemented unpopular measures, such as introducing a new tax system, and faced disagreements within her Cabinet, particularly concerning European integration.

These factors contributed to her eventual resignation as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party in November , following a leadership challenge from Michael Heseltine. Thatcher continued to deliver speeches and comment on political events.