Augusto Pinochet was a Chilean military officer who became the dictator of Chile after leading a coup d'état in 1973 that overthrew the democratically elected president, Salvador Allende. His regime was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including torture, forced disappearances, and killings of political opponents. Pinochet ruled Chile until 1990, implementing neoliberal economic reforms that transformed the country's economy. While some credit his policies for economic growth, critics argue that they came at the cost of social justice and human rights. His legacy remains controversial in Chile and around the world.