Events in the year 1973 in Chile.
Incumbents
President: Salvador Allende until September 11, Augusto Pinochet as President of the Government Junta of Chile Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army: Carlos Prats until August 23, Augusto Pinochet Minister of Foreign Affairs: Clodomiro Almeyda, Orlando Letelier, Clodomiro Almeyda, Ismael Huerta Minister of the Interior: Carlos Prats until August 23, Gerardo Espinoza, Orlando Letelier Minister of National Defense: Jose Toha, Clodomiro Almeyda, Carlos Prats, Orlando Letelier, Patricio Carvajal
Events
January
January 5 - Socialist Senator Maria Elena Carrera caused the country's female indignation when she declared that "Only idle women can queue up to buy" January 6 – Strike of the urban transport of Santiago. January 7 : In Hamburg, a shipment of Chilean copper is seized, while an appeal was presented from the Private Company Kennecott against the State of Chile. The Government announces the introduction of a "war economy", which includes food rationing and control of wheat production. January 8 : Strike of the Chuquicamata railroad workers. A militant of the Communist Party is assassinated by unknown members of Fatherland and Liberty in a rally. January 10 – The National Distribution Secretariat is created to order and regulate the distribution of items considered "essential". January 11 - Inflation reaches 180% January 13 – The Armed Forces reaffirm their unconditional support for the constitutional government. January 15 – Merchants Self-Defense Commands are formed in Santiago to boycott government measures. January 16 - 7,929 copper workers go on strike in rejection of the ration card January 20 – The workers of Canal 9 of the University of Chile, took seized by the Armed militia due to sanctions against constitutional government. January 26 - 700 tons of rice are discovered in an undeclared warehouse of the Supply Company for Isolated Zones (ECA) January 28 - The secretary general of the Christian Left, Bosco Parra, proclaims the need to build popular power January 30 – The senator of the Christian Democracy José Musalem suffers an attack with firearms, from which he escapes unharmed.
February
February 2–16 exiles from Haiti arrived on Chilean soil. February 4 – The government reports that unemployment fell to 3.6% in December 1972. February 5 – Pablo Neruda resigns as ambassador to France for health reasons, returning to Chile. February 8 – Canal 13 begins the transmissions of its repeater in Concepción through the VHF 5 frequency, with which the local signal adopts the name of Canal 5. However, the government considers the action illegal. A 14-year-old boy named Oscar Pineda was shot by a group of left-wing extremists when they attacked the headquarters of the National Party in Valdivia. February 10 - President Salvador Allende participates in a concentration in the Estadio Nacional of Santiago together with 100,000 people, among them was the Dutch photographer Chas Gerretsen. February 15 – Deputy Arturo Frei Bolívar, who was running for re-election in March , was seriously wounded after he received a bullet in the skull, when leaving a proclamation in Chiguayante and the PIR senator Eugenio Velasco was attacked and wounded by supporters of popular unity while he was campaigning in Talca. February 19 - The newspaper La Prensa publishes that members of the Communist Brigade Ramona Parra assassinated the Christian Democrat worker Jaime Contreras Iglesias. February 20 – The Ministry of Interior reports that the different pre-electoral clashes between political factions have resulted in 67 people arrested, 4 dead and 120 injured. February 22 - A pamphlet from the Minister of Education, Jorge Tapia, entitled For a national, democratic, pluralist and popular education, goals for 1973 announcing the government project of the Unified National School (ENU). February 26 - Curico Unido provincial sports club is founded. February 27 - 10 carabineros were injured in the assault on the Llanquihue barracks perpetrated by Mirista mobs who tried to rescue their leader Sergio Gomez Flores, arrested for political violence.
