Myth and reality of the death of President

Abstract

Starting with the reference to Salvador Allende’s monument in Plaza de la Constitución -which represents his final sacrifice, through his figure enwrapped on the chilean flag representing his being reborned in the same instant of his death, as in the masonic simbolism of initiation, or in the Phoenix bird myth- it is pointed out that this artistical representation should not drive as away from what really happened in La Moneda‚ on that september 11. The articule seeks to answer how the death of president Allende happened, if it was assassination or suicide. To answer this, the author asks which were the president’s values for which he would end offering his life. It is stated that this decission was not taken hastily on the morning of the coup d’etat, but a year earlier, and declares that “what Allende couldn’t change on the tragedy of september 11 was the golpists decission to overthrough his government, but what was within his decission was either to surrender or to fight his sworn enemies until death. Allende chose to fight, and when he realized there was no more possible resistance, he took away his life, depriving them the sadistic satisfaction of humiliating and vexating him. There are fewer acts of more dignity and courage”.