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→Economic crisis and food shortages
===Economic crisis and food shortages===
===Economic crisis and food shortages===
The rumors began in May 1971: shortages, shortages, rationing of food and other essential items. The cards for this purpose were being printed in the Santiago penitentiary. The Undersecretary of Economy, Oscar Garretón, categorically denied: "This is an irresponsible campaign, aimed at creating social tension". But Allende himself speaks already, ominously, of "stocks to be exhausted" in fifteen days or two more months. The Government granting "good money": important salary readjustments -44%-, and applying a brake on the rise in prices, has meant that Chileans have more money than in 1970 and are spending more on all kinds of things. Rumors of crisis and shortages precipitate people to build up their own stocks, and thus produce precisely the crisis and rationing: "Hence the irritation of the Government with the wave of rumors on the matter". In order to undermine this systematic campaign, the Minister of Economy, Mr. Vuskovic, addresses the country on national TV. He explains that the greater purchasing power of the population has been reflected in a higher volume of sales than in any previous period.
The dollar reserves are still very respectable, and shortages of any product, especially foodstuffs, can be supplied by importing them. However, at the end of May, the Government put obstacles - deposits of one hundred times their value - to import a thousand products, considered "not strictly indispensable". In the case of "durable and expendable" items -cars, televisions, refrigerators, etc.- customers are placed in a "queue", which automatically produces either a black market or an overprice for those who do not want to or cannot wait.
However, the number of products that are difficult to find continues to increase. The board of directors of the Santiago Bus Union reports that hundreds of buses are paralyzed due to "a growing shortage of spare parts". The newspaper "Tribuna" denounces the lack of medicines, "both because of the official policy regarding the dollar, as well as the delay in resolving the prices". However, the shortage of basic food products is the most worrisome and the long "queues" are an increasingly frequent spectacle. Allende recognizes this, speaking to the students of Antofagasta: "Vast sectors of Chile are beginning to feel - and I say this with regret, but I am telling the truth - difficulties in supply. Vuskovic himself admitted a few days later, at the end of a meeting of the Supply Committee, chaired by the Head of State himself. Undersecretary Garretón will continue, however, to insist that the problem is due to a "psychosis created by the media".
Several facts show the reality of the situation: Bolivian meat was imported in the north, and in Santiago, when DIRINCO inspectors tried to seize meat that a southern cooperative was selling directly to the public, they had to leave amidst a hail of carterazos (scuffles) by the owners of the house. SOCOAGRO, the CORFO subsidiary that channels the state supply of meat, has the butchers going crazy, sleeping in the offices of the firm to get some piece of animal.
Opposition and government agreed that the issue is not a sympathetic one. "The former blame the government's mistakes: increase of the purchasing power, discouragement of production, errors in the exchange policy". "The government parties say it is a fabrication of the opposition". As far as construction materials are concerned, the problem was generalized. Cement, nails, wire, wood and hardware products are in short supply. As for clothing, the cotton and cashmere line is out of stock. When Undersecretary Garretón was asked about the possible outcome of all this, he said that the problems arise from the State's failure to intervene sufficiently. "There are distribution problems; we cannot rule out boycotts and there has been an increase in demand. This leads us to conclude that we have to participate in distribution"<ref>{{cite book|title=Cfr. Augusto Pinochet. " El día decisivo". Edit. Estado Mayor Ejército}}</ref>.
The climate of confrontation in the country reaches its boiling point on Wednesday, December 1. At dusk, the demonstration of the "empty pots and baskets", called by the women of Santiago, begins. Even its organizers were surprised by the number and enthusiasm of the participants, and it became the most multitudinous, enthusiastic and combative women's rally in the country's history. Ultra-left elements of the [[Left Wing Terrorism in Chile|MIR and MAPU]] and of the increasingly famous communist and socialist brigades attacked the women with stones, chains, sticks and even with potatoes bristling with pieces of razor blades.
The economic, political, social and cultural situation of the country could not have been worse. Chile broke the world record for inflation, with 143%. The Central Bank announced that a total of 36 367 million escudos were issued that year, which implied an increase of 174.4% over 1971. In a high-level meeting of the Communist Party, the Minister of Finance gave equally gloomy statistics: the 140 nationalized companies left 50 000 000 escudos of losses in 1792; during the month of October alone, 6 000 000 escudos had to be printed to cover their enormous "financial hole"; and a third of the 1973 fiscal budget was spent on buying foreign foodstuffs.
The economic, political, social and cultural situation of the country could not have been worse. Chile broke the world record for inflation, with 143%. The Central Bank announced that a total of 36 367 million escudos were issued that year, which implied an increase of 174.4% over 1971. In a high-level meeting of the Communist Party, the Minister of Finance gave equally gloomy statistics: the 140 nationalized companies left 50 000 000 escudos of losses in 1792; during the month of October alone, 6 000 000 escudos had to be printed to cover their enormous "financial hole"; and a third of the 1973 fiscal budget was spent on buying foreign foodstuffs.
The exasperation of the Chilean consumer with inflation and shortages was demonstrated in daily acts of violence. Calama: 200 people assaulted two trucks carrying Argentine meat for Antofagasta, forcing them to go to the city slaughterhouse, which (said a neighbor) did not receive "not even bones from the authorities".
The exasperation of the Chilean consumer with inflation and shortages was demonstrated in daily acts of violence. Calama: 200 people assaulted two trucks carrying Argentine meat for Antofagasta, forcing them to go to the city slaughterhouse, which (said a neighbor) did not receive "not even bones from the authorities".