President Salvador Allende: The Last Speech

A brief history of Chile. The story of Dr. Salvador Allende and General Pinochet.

THE SPEECH

My friends,

Surely this will be the last opportunity for me to address you. The Air Force has bombed the antennas of Radio Magallanes.

My words do not have bitterness but disappointment. May they be a moral punishment for those who have betrayed their oath: soldiers of Chile, titular commanders in chief, Admiral Merino, who has designated himself Commander of the Navy, and Mr. Mendoza, the despicable general who only yesterday pledged his fidelity and loyalty to the Government, and who also has appointed himself Chief of the Carabineros [paramilitary police].

Given these facts, the only thing left for me is to say to workers: I am not going to resign! Placed in a historic transition, I will pay for loyalty to the people with my life. And I say to them that I am certain that the seeds which we have planted in the good conscience of thousands and thousands of Chileans will not be shriveled forever.

They have force and will be able to dominate us, but social processes can be arrested by neither crime nor force. History is ours, and people make history.

Workers of my country: I want to thank you for the loyalty that you always had, the confidence that you deposited in a man who was only an interpreter of great yearnings for justice, who gave his word that he would respect the Constitution and the law and did just that. At this definitive moment, the last moment when I can address you, I wish you to take advantage of the lesson: foreign capital, imperialism, together with the reaction, created the climate in which the Armed Forces broke their tradition, the tradition taught by General Schneider and reaffirmed by Commander Araya, victims of the same social sector who today are hoping, with foreign assistance, to re-conquer the power to continue defending their profits and their privileges.

I address you, above all, the modest woman of our land, the campesina who believed in us, the mother who knew our concern for children. I address professionals of Chile, patriotic professionals who continued working against the sedition that was supported by professional associations, classist associations that also defended the advantages of capitalist society. I address the youth, those who sang and gave us their joy and their spirit of struggle. I address the man of Chile, the worker, the farmer, the intellectual, those who will be persecuted, because in our country fascism has been already present for many hours -- in terrorist attacks, blowing up the bridges, cutting the railroad tracks, destroying the oil and gas pipelines, in the face of the silence of those who had the obligation to act. They were committed. History will judge them.

Surely Radio Magallanes will be silenced, and the calm metal instrument of my voice will no longer reach you. It does not matter. You will continue hearing it. I will always be next to you. At least my memory will be that of a man of dignity who was loyal to his country.

The people must defend themselves, but they must not sacrifice themselves. The people must not let themselves be destroyed or riddled with bullets, but they cannot be humiliated either.

Workers of my country, I have faith in Chile and its destiny. Other men will overcome this dark and bitter moment when treason seeks to prevail. Go forward knowing that, sooner rather than later, the great avenues will open again and free men will walk through them to construct a better society.

Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!

These are my last words, and I am certain that my sacrifice will not be in vain, I am certain that, at the very least, it will be a moral lesson that will punish felony, cowardice, and treason.

Santiago (Chile), 11 September 1973

(thanks to Wikipedia)

Background Music: The National Anthem of Chile

• Category

  Education

[diogotomediogo]

Salvador Allende was a wonderful person. Fuck you Pinochet. And fuck you USA

[Mikhail Malinovski]

Salvador Allende was choosen by the people and pinochet was the man choosen by the U.S. this explains the difference.

[PepeImperial]

y ratificado por el congreso en pleno. En la memoria del pueblo chileno vive Allende, no en el odio sectario de los que lucharon contra él para no perder los privilegios del poder. Salvador Allende es digno de vivir en el corazón de los que luchan por eso fue elegido.

[kill3456]

You certainly make a very compelling argument.

[F. Castro]

that you know about the history of CHILE, FASCIST BASTARD! A CHILEAN

[kill3456]

It's a shame so many people especially leftists continue to follow the 'Allende myth' simply because of the fact that he was overthrown he is elevated to an almost godhood status among the left.

[alfredo villanueva]

heil pinochet!

[alfredo villanueva]

fuck allende he kill my grandfather!

[DanRyzESPUK]

Yes, the palace was being bombarded by airplanes while the broadcasting. If you're proficient at Spanish, you may hear at the end of the recording several voices around, it was their bodyguards trying to hold positions and under fire.

[kaldenful]

Who is the freaking 15 unlikers????? they r crazy, idiot , pitiless >.<

[Legs SOPA]

Curioso dictador Allende, porque fue electo en elecciones libres y transparentes.

[sboudreaux27]

I heard that no other Chilean president has lived in the La Moneda palace for some reason, is this why ? I think Pinochet lived there and not sure if Alywin lived in the same palace during his tenure.