Reading about this guy, and he sounds like a Chilean version of Bernie Sanders
Unfortunately, Nixon and the CIA were so petrified of him helping poor people that they backed a fascist coup against him.
Some of Allende's notable achievements:
*As a senator, he helped set up the first Universal Healthcare system in the Americas. Healthcare is a human right, and Allende recognized this.
*Provided 55,000 volunteers to teach reading and writing in southern Chile
*Gave 3,000 scholarships to indigenous Mapuche children
*Unveiled a plan to launch 120,000 residential buildings
*Gave all part time workers social security
*Amnestied political prisoners from past regimes
*Free school meals
*Increased social security payments
*Free food was distributed to the needy by the state
*Raised the minimum taxable income level, which meant 35% of the previous years taxpayers no longer had to pay taxes. This was a huge boon to the working class.
*Significantly increased the minimum wage for blue collar workers, and white collar workers as well.
*An average of 52,000 houses were built each year during his presidency.
*Fought to combat illiteracy with social programs. His programs helped raise enrollment at all levels of education.
*Massively increased educational, housing and food assistance.
*Encouraged doctors to serve in poorer districts, and built various hospitals and health clinics that were open longer and more accessible to the working class.
*Lowered the voting age to 18 and also eliminated the literacy requirement for voting.
*Extended maternity leave from 6 to 12 weeks, and established the Women's Secretariat to combat issues that affected Chilean women.
*Made Universities tuition free, which was a massive success. Educating the country was one of his greatest accomplishments, as University enrollment increased an astounding 89% during his presidency. In fact, enrollment reached record levels under Allende, and he had already decreased the nation's illiteracy rate from 12.0% to 10.8% by 1972. Before Allende, only 91% of children between the ages of 6 and 14 were in school. During his presidency, this percentage rose to 99%.
*Redistributed the wealth which led to wage and salary earners going from 51.6% of the national income to 65%.
*The National Supplementary Food Program was expanded to serve all primary school students and pregnant women.
Honestly, there are a lot more I could list, but I think you guys get the point,
and I'm getting tired of writing this tbh. This man was a bonafide hero, and he was killed by the U.S. in order to install the evil fascist Pinochet. One of the countless black marks on America's sordid history.