Description
In the early hours of September 11, 1973 a military Coup d’Etat begins in Santiago de Chile. It is lead by General Pinochet and directed against Salvador Allende, democratically elected President three years prior to these events. Allende decides to barricade himself with a few loyal friends and his guards in LA MONEDA, the presidential Palace of Santiago. He refuses to negotiate with the military, and addresses the Chilenean people one last time over the national radio. When the air force starts bombing the Palace, he tells his supporters to surrender, and refusing this choice for himself, commits suicide.
This remarkable and moving film exposes most impressive footage about the events, some of which has never been exposed before. Few of those who spend time with Allende in his last hours are still alive. The director managed to find and interview those among Allende’s friends and guards who were present in LA MONEDA on that fatal September 11. As to General Pinochet, Chief of the putsch, he would remain Chile’s dictator for 17 long years, until 1990. Many observers of these years blamed him the return of torture and political assassinations while he was in charge. In spite of the stubbornness and the courage of the Spanish judge Baltazar Garzon, Pinochet will not answer in justice for the crimes committed under its authority because he died on December 10th, 2006 of a heart attack.
