Hello and welcome to the witness history podcast from the BBC World Service with me, Jane

Chambers.

I'm taking you back to 1974 to General Pinniché's military dictatorship in Chile, when his secret

police were on the hunt for activist Miguel Enrique, a leader of the movement of the revolution

we left and a fierce opponent of Pinniché's regime.

But we're going to start a year earlier in 1973.

When I was living in hiding, I used to think that every day might be my last.

On the day of the military coup in 1973, I stopped being a university professor and went

into hiding.

That's Carmen Castillo, Miguel Enrique's partner.

It's the 11th of September 1973 and a coup is underway.

It's early in the morning and Chilean Air Force jets are on their way to bomb the presidential

palace.

They want to overthrow the democratically elected government of the country's Marxist

leader, Salvador Allende.

After an impassioned speech to the nation, Allende allegedly shot himself as troops storm

the building and General Pinniché's military government took over.

There were troops everywhere and we had to take a lot of care when we were moving around.

It was a very difficult time for us.

In the early days and weeks of Pinniché's rule, reports emerge in the international media

that Allende supporters were being killed or tortured.

Much of this is taking place in the National Stadium in Santiago.

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