Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens (1908 – 1973) is surely, after Fidel Castro or Che, one of the most important socialist politicians of Latin America of the end of the 20th century. Having studied medicine at the University of Chile, he showed his interest in left-wing ideology.

Salvador Allende was co-founder and later Secretary General of the Chilean Socialist Party, until he became president in 1973, when he was assassinated as a result of a coup d’état by the military junta of Augusto Pinochet to establish a dictatorship supported by the United States.

Salvador Allende’s most famous phrases

Below you will find a selection of Salvador Allende’s most famous phrases .

1. The history is ours and the people make it

Allende always entrusted himself to the people’s struggle.

2. In a new year it would be nice to tell you that everything will be easy; unfortunately this is not the case

He began his term in turbulent times and with fierce opposition.

3. To be young and not revolutionary is a contradiction, even a biological one

That’s how the president saw what it was like to be young.

4. Explain to people why this happens (the shortage)

It was one of the great tricks that the socialist government had to circumvent.

5. I would resign if the workers and laborers of Chile demanded it

Salvador Allende declared himself a subject of the working class .

6. There will not be a President who commits suicide, because the people will know how to respond

The pressure on the president became such that he had to utter such words.

7. Never before have people had buying power and it turns out that industries were not involved in the delivery of their products

Despite the income the people had, the Chilean country suffered a blockade of goods.

8. A punishment for the cowardice and violence that traditional sectors put into the campaign

The big transnational corporations were the first enemy of the government.

9. There will be no fratricidal war because the government and the people will prevent it

First of all, Allende was a pacifist . He never wanted to take up arms against anyone.

10. My predecessors, in six years, never named a worker in anything

Clear and concise.

11. They want us to make the workers believe that the companies should be theirs

His criticisms of businessmen were usual.

12. Chilean workers: winter is ending and promising economic horizons are appearing before us

Thus he warned the people of the future.

13. They are told that they must own the copper, the coal, the saltpetre. How would the country go!

Chile’s natural resources have always been in foreign hands.

14. These are my last words and I am sure that my sacrifice will not be in vain

He died firm in his ideas and convinced of his legacy.

15. A worker without a job is a man who has a right to work and we should give it to him

For Allende the priority was the welfare of the workers.

16. It does not matter if a worker is or is not a Marxist, it does not matter if he is or is not a Christian, it does not matter if he has no political ideology

Surprising statements, showing tolerance to all workers.

17. Revolution is made by the people, revolution is made essentially by the workers

The people are the owners of their destiny.

18. Is it fair for man to set foot on the moon, or would it not be fairer for the great countries to set foot on the earth and realize that there are millions of people who have no work and who are suffering from hunger

With this sentence he declared his concern about unemployment .

19. The revolution does not pass through the university, and this must be understood, the revolution passes through the great masses

If there is no union, there is no struggle and no freedom.

20. I address the youth, those who sang and gave their joy and fighting spirit

Even at his advanced age, he entrusted all his knowledge to future generations.

21. Man from industrial countries has reached the moon by dominating nature

He was very critical of the industrialized powers of the state.

22. History will judge them

History never lies.

23. Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!

Euphoric as ever, that’s how most of his rallies ended.

24. I am more and more in favor of women

Salvador Allende was a pioneer with feminism in Latin America.

25. Know that the great avenues through which the free man passes will be opened again, to build a better society

He always appealed to a promising future.

26. Workers of my Country: I have faith in Chile and in its destiny

He always remained confident and excited about his political project .

27. We want a dignified, independent and sovereign future

These are typical values of socialism.

28. The Chilean population will now hand over to us the responsibility to put it into practice and materialize what Chile deserves

He never felt above his own. He put the people first, always.

29. Other men will overcome this grey and bitter moment where betrayal tries to impose itself

Betrayal was one of the causes of his murder.

30. The people must be alert and vigilant, always

For Allende, the people were the government.

31. With the difficulties typical of those who walk in an old car, we go from one tumble to another, but advancing, advancing

The constitution of the new government meant one tumult after another.

32. History will discover the liar

The truth always rises above the lie.

33. I am an intellectual, but also a soldier loyal to his people

Although he came from an intellectual, middle-class family, he was always faithful to his socialist ideas.

34. People are stronger than the economy

Economy versus sovereignty, capitalism versus freedom.

35. No intellectual has authority over the professional

In this way he showed his support for the underprivileged classes.

36. Youth will live even if I die

Knowing his last days, he delivered this message from the Mint.

37. They’ll make you think you’re not right. Defend yourselves

They, the economic power.

38. Betrayal is the worst enemy, the worst rival to fight

Once again, betrayal is among his warnings.

39. We will have to believe it for the people to believe it

Allende worked hard to convince his people of his project.

40. The worker has to own his effort

Once again, the worker is the epicenter of his struggle and ideas.

41. We are facing a frontal conflict over large transnational corporations and states

The events in Chile were purely economic in nature.

42. It is all the politics of the world that are being enslaved

Globalization was a burden in the eyes of Salvador Allende.

43. It is our confidence that increases faith in humanitarian values

Without conviction there is no progress.

44. Here there is no Prague spring, it is Chilean

Chile was living a historic moment.

45. I will pay with my life my loyalty to the people

Another sign of loyalty to your cause.

46. Poor Pinochet, he must be in jail

This is how Salvador mocked his political opponent.

47. Thank you, comrade, friend, commander of Latin American hope, Fidel Castro

As we saw before, Allende joined the Latin American socialist revolution .

48. I invite Fidel to Chile because I feel like it. I am the owner of the house and I invite whoever I want

With this exuberance he showed his admiration for the Cuban leader.

49. They arrived in powerful cars, young people who never worked

This is how Allende criticized his political opponents (wealthy upper class)

50. I am not the president of all Chileans, I am not a hypocrite

Even with all the majority support he had, he was always humble.

51. The Soviet Union, we call it Big Brother

He never hid his Marxism and predilection for the USSR .

52. I’m not blind. I have normal sight and normal habits

He received harsh criticism for the policies he wanted to implement.

53. The university political leader is also a good university student

For Allende, being an academic by profession, he had no moral authority.

54. Man from developed countries has reached the moon by dominating nature

Human beings always want to control everything.