General Carlos Prats González (February 24, 1915 - September 30, 1974) was a Chilean Army officer, a political figure, minister and Vice President of Chile during President Salvador Allende's government, and General Augusto Pinochet's predecessor as Commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Talcahuano is a Municipality and port city in the Bio-Bio Region of Chile. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person Salvador Isabelino Allende Gossens (June 26 1908 – September 11 1973 was President of Chile from November 1970 until his death during the coup d'état of Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November By right or might He was killed with a car bomb in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1974. A car bomb is an explosive device placed in a car or other Vehicle and then detonated. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.

Background

Generals C. Prats (left) and René Schneider (1970)

He was born in Talcahuano on 1915, the oldest son of Carlos Prats Risopatrón and Hilda González Suárez. General René Schneider Chereau ( December 31, 1913 - October 25, 1970) was the Commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army Talcahuano is a Municipality and port city in the Bio-Bio Region of Chile. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year He joined the Army in 1931, and graduated top of his class. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1935 he was commissioned as an artillery officer. Three years later he became a Sub Lieutenant. Soon he returned to the Military Academy, this time as a teacher. He taught there and at the War Academy until 1954. In 1944, he married Sofia Cuthbert Chiarleoni, with whom he had 3 daughters.

In 1954, he was promoted to Major, and sent to military mission in the US, as adjunt military attaché, until 1958. That year he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and returned as teacher to the War Academy. In 1961, he became commander of the Artillery Regiment Nº3 “Chorrillos”, and in 1963, became commander of the Regiment Nº1 “Tacna”.

In 1964 is promoted to Colonel and sent as military attaché to Argentina. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. He returned to Chile in 1967 as commander of the III Army Division. In 1968 is promoted to Brigade General and Chief of the General Staff. The following year is promoted to Division General, and after a brilliant career, was named Commander-in-chief on October 26, 1970, by President Eduardo Frei Montalva, following the assassination of his predecessor, General René Schneider a few days earlier, on October 22. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Eduardo Nicanor Frei Montalva (1911&ndash1982 was a Chilean political figure and President of Chile from 1964 to 1970 General René Schneider Chereau ( December 31, 1913 - October 25, 1970) was the Commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus His nomination allayed all fears of a possible military intervention because of the election of Salvador Allende to the presidency. Salvador Isabelino Allende Gossens (June 26 1908 – September 11 1973 was President of Chile from November 1970 until his death during the coup d'état of

Public role during the Allende years

General Prats became the head of the "constitutionalists", all members of the armed forces who lined themselves behind the Schneider Doctrine. Schneider Doctrine was a political doctrine originally espoused by Chilean General René Schneider, which allowed the election of Salvador Allende as With time, he became the strongest supporter of President Allende, and was a member of his cabinet several times, even becoming his vice-President in 1972. Salvador Isabelino Allende Gossens (June 26 1908 – September 11 1973 was President of Chile from November 1970 until his death during the coup d'état of Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Alejandrina Cox incident

Main article: Alejandrina Cox incident

Tanquetazo

Main article: tanquetazo

On June 29, 1973, he was the key player in putting down a bloody coup attempt known as the Tanquetazo . The Alejandrina Cox incident was a traffic incident involving General Carlos Prats, then Minister of the Interior for President El Tanquetazo or El Tancazo (Both Spanish for tank putsch) ( June 29, 1973) are the names used to refer to the Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar.

Resignation

Shortly afterwards another very public incident occurred. This one involved the wives of his Generals and officers who, on August 22, 1973, staged a rally in front of his home and called him a coward for not restoring civil order in Chile. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. That event made clear to him that his policies had no support among his fellow officers. This time General Prats resigned his position both as Interior minister and as Commander in Chief of the Army the very next day. With only two other generals in favor of a constitutional solution to the political crisis, Generals Mario Sepúlveda Squella and Guillermo Pickering (both in key troop command positions), also presented their resignations in a show of support. His replacement as Commander in Chief of the Army was his second in command and an officer thought to be loyal to Allende, General Augusto Pinochet. Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November

General Pinochet took over the position on August 23, 1973. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. General Prats' retirement removed the last real obstacle for a military coup, same that took place only three weeks later, on September 11, 1973. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Immediately after the coup, on September 15, 1973, he exiled himself and his wife to Argentina. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.

Death

On September 30, 1974, in Buenos Aires, he was killed along with his wife Sofia Cuthbert, outside his own apartment, by a radio-controlled car bomb, throwing debris up to the ninth storey balcony of the building across the street. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern A car bomb is an explosive device placed in a car or other Vehicle and then detonated. Later, it was found that the assassination was planned by members of the Chilean secret police DINA, led by Michael Townley, who also carried out the Orlando Letelier assassination. Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional ( English: National Intelligence Directorate) or DINA was the Chilean Secret police in the government For the Australian politician see Michael Townley (Australian politician. Marcos Orlando Letelier del Solar ( April 13, 1932 - September 21, 1976) was a Chilean economist Political figure,

Legal aftermath and investigations

In Chile, the judge investigating this case, Alejandro Solis, definitively relaxed Pinochet on this particular case, after the Chilean Supreme court rejected in January 2005 a demand to lift the ex-dictator's immunity. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November The Supreme Court of Chile is the highest Court in Chile. It also administrates the lower courts in the nation January 2005: ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September The direction of DINA, including chief Manuel Contreras, ex-chief of operation and retired general Raul Iturriaga Neuman, his brother Roger Iturriaga, and ex-brigadiers Pedro Espinoza Bravo and Jose Zara, are accused in Chile of this assassination. Juan Manuel Guillermo Contreras Sepúlveda (born May 4, 1929) is a Chilean military and the former head of DINA, Chile's Secret police Raúl Eduardo Iturriaga Neumann (b January 23 1938 in Linares Chile) is a retired Army general and a former deputy director of the DINA Brigadier Pedro Espinoza Bravo was a Chilean Army officer and member of the DINA, the secret police which operated during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990

In Argentina, DINA's civil agent Enrique Arancibia Clavel was sentenced to life imprisonment in General Prat's case. Enrique Arancibia is a former Chilean DINA agent who resided in unofficial exile in Buenos Aires after the assassination of Chilean Army Chief of Staff René Schneider SIDE agent Juan Martín Siga Correa has been detained by Argentine justice in 2000 on orders of federal judge Maria Servini de Cubria ^[1]. History The Secretariat of Intelligence was created in 1946 when Juan Perón 's first presidency established it by Executive Decree 337/46 under the denomination of Martín Siga Correa was DINA's main connection with the SIDE and with Intelligence Battalion 601, and was also a member of the Tacuara Nationalist Movement. The Batallón de Inteligencia 601 ( 601st Intelligence Battalion) was a special military intelligence service of the Argentine Army active The Movimiento Nacionalista Tacuara (MNT Tacuara Nationalist Movement) was an Argentine Far right group in the 1960s which after having violently

In 2003, federal judge Maria Servini de Cubria asked Chile for the extradition of Mariana Callejas, who was Michael Townley's wife, and Cristoph Willikie, a retired colonel from the Chilean army - all three of them are accused of this crime. For the Australian politician see Michael Townley (Australian politician. But Chilean judge Nibaldo Segura from the Appeals court, refused in July 2005, arguing that they had already been prosecuted in Chile^[2].

It also has been claimed that Italian terrorist Stefano Delle Chiaie was involved in the murder of General Carlos Prats. Stefano Delle Chiaie (born 13 September 1936 in Caserta) is a Neofascist Italian activist (founder of ''Avanguardia Nazionale'' and Along with fellow extremist Vincenzo Vinciguerra, Delle Chiaie testified in Rome in December 1995 before judge Maria Servini de Cubria that Enrique Arancibia Clavel (a former Chilean secret police agent prosecuted for crimes against humanity in 2004^[3] and Michael Townley were directly involved in this assassination^[4]. Vincenzo Vinciguerra is a former member of the neo-fascist ''Avanguardia Nazionale'' ("National Vanguard" and Ordine Nuovo ("New Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 In Public international law, a crime against humanity is an act of Persecution or any large scale atrocities against a body of people and is the highest level of "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " For the Australian politician see Michael Townley (Australian politician. )

Additional information

See also

References

External links

• Official biography (Spanish)
• Biography (Spanish)
• The Carlos Prats Assassination
• Human rights report on the case
• Non-official account of murder (Spanish)
• Chilean agent convicted over Prats' killing
• Trial watch
• Letter from Allende thanking him after his resignation (Spanish)