He was born in Talcahuano on February 2, 1915, the oldest son of Carlos Prats Risopatrón and Hilda González Suárez. He joined the Army in 1931, and after a brilliant career, was named Commander-in-Chief on October 26, 1970, by President Eduardo Frei Montalva, following the assasination of his predecessor, General René Schneider on October 22. His nomination allayed fears of a possible military intervention because of the election of Salvador Allende to the presidency.
Public participation during the Allende years
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. On June 29, 1973, he put_out a bloody coup attempt: the "tanquetazo". (see: Chilean coup of 1973)
On August 24, 1973, he was finally forced to resign, embarrased by a public protest of the wives of his Generals. His retirement removed the last obstacle for the military coup, that took place only two weeks later, on September 11.
General CarlosPrats González (1915 - 1974), was a Chilean political figure and Vice President during President Salvador Allende's government, and General Augusto Pinochet's predecessor as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army.
He was born in Talcahuano on February 2, 1915, the oldest son of CarlosPrats Risopatrón and Hilda González Suárez.
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.
The murders of Prats and his wife SofĂa Cuthbert were among the first acts of state terrorism cutting across national borders that were carried out by the de facto military regimes in the region.
Prats' steadfast respect for the constitution was an obstacle for the plans to topple Allende, and in August 1973 the general was removed from the scene through a campaign of personal attacks waged by the right, in which the wives of officers who later took part in the coup actively participated.
Prats' photo was later included in the army's gallery of former commanders, and he now appears in the army's official biographies.
Feeds |
Contact