The kin of the deceased former President of Chile, Salvador Allende, want his body exhumed some 38 years later in order to conduct an autopsy into cause of death.
The relatives have taken their request to a Chilean judge and are seeking to renew the inquiry to how Allende died. It is believed Allende committed suicide rather than surrender himself to the military coup that had taken over power in the country back in 1973.
At the time the military, then under the rule of dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet, performed the autopsy themselves without independent confirmation and declared the death a suicide. They gave Allende’s widow his body in a sealed casket.
His relatives including his daughter Senator Isabell Allende believe he was murdered by members of the coup. An independent judge is working with the family on the exhumation and death investigation.
