Changes

==Government==

==Government==

[[File:Palacio de La Moneda.jpg|thumbnail|250px|[[La Moneda]] Palace, seat of Executive Branch.]]

[[File:Palacio de La Moneda.jpg|thumbnail|250px|[[La Moneda]] Palace, seat of Executive Branch.]]

Chile's Constitution was approved in a September 1980 national plebiscite. It entered into force in March 1981. After Pinochet's defeat in the 1988 plebiscite. In 2005 President Lagos made several reforms to the Constitution, even changing the Pinochet sign with his.

[[Chilean Constitution of 1980|Chile's Constitution]] was approved in a September 1980 national plebiscite with 67% of the vote. It entered into force in March 1981. After Pinochet's defeat in the 1988 plebiscite. In 2005 President Lagos made several reforms to the Constitution, even changing the Pinochet sign with his.

The President term is 4-year long, however is constitutionally barred from serving consecutive terms. The political system of Chile is an exacerbated [[Presidential system|Presidential]] one.

The President term is 4-year long, however is constitutionally barred from serving consecutive terms. The political system of Chile is an exacerbated [[Presidential system|Presidential]] one.

Chile has a bicameral Congress, which meets in the port city of [[Valparaíso]], about 140 kilometers (84 mi.) west of the capital, Santiago. Deputies are elected every 4 years, and Senators serve 8-year terms.

Chile has a bicameral Congress, which meets in the port city of [[Valparaíso]], about 140 kilometers (84 mi.) west of the capital, Santiago. Deputies are elected every 4 years, and Senators serve 8-year terms.

{{Main article|Augusto Pinochet regime (Chile, 1973–90)}}

{{Main article|Augusto Pinochet regime (Chile, 1973–90)}}

[[File:Presidente Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (1973-1990).jpg|300px|thumbnail|President and General [[Augusto Pinochet|Augusto Pinochet Ugarte]], President of Chile (1973-1990), fighter against [[Marxism]], father of Chile's development, and restorer of the order and the institutions.]]

[[File:Presidente Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (1973-1990).jpg|300px|thumbnail|President and General [[Augusto Pinochet|Augusto Pinochet Ugarte]], President of Chile (1973-1990), fighter against [[Marxism]], father of Chile's development, and restorer of the order and the institutions.]]

[[File:Jaime Guzmán2.png|150px|thumbnail|left|[[Jaime Guzmán]] founder of the [[Independent Democrat Union]] party, writer of part of the 1980 Constitution and its complementary laws, including the binomial system.]]

[[File:Jaime Guzmán2.png|150px|thumbnail|left|[[Jaime Guzmán]] founder of the [[Independent Democrat Union]] party, writer of part of the [[Chilean Constitution of 1980|1980 Constitution]] and its complementary laws, including the binomial system.]]

A military pronouncement overthrew Allende on September 11, 1973. As the armed forces bombarded the presidential palace, Allende reportedly committed suicide. A military government, led by General Augusto Pinochet, took over control of the country. The first years of the regime in particular were marked by an irregular war against [[Left Wing Terrorism in Chile|leftist terrorists]] who wanted a violent Marxist revolution. A new Constitution was approved by a plebiscite on September 11, 1980, and General Pinochet became President of the Republic for an 8-year term. The Constitution writing had an important participation of [[Jaime Guzmán]] who also founded the [[Independent Democrat Union]].  

A military pronouncement overthrew Allende on September 11, 1973. As the armed forces bombarded the presidential palace, Allende reportedly committed suicide. A military government, led by General Augusto Pinochet, took over control of the country. The first years of the regime in particular were marked by an irregular war against [[Left Wing Terrorism in Chile|leftist terrorists]] who wanted a violent Marxist revolution. A new [[Chilean Constitution of 1980|Constitution]] was approved by a plebiscite on September 11, 1980, and General Pinochet became President of the Republic for an 8-year term. The Constitution writing had an important participation of [[Jaime Guzmán]] who also founded the [[Independent Democrat Union]].  

The Armed Forces had to assume the leadership of the country, aware that this task did not mean a mere restoration of the broken institutionality, since the systematic destruction to which the Homeland had been subjected had deeply undermined coexistence and national development; therefore, it was imperative to go further and create a modern, profound system of the country, with a clear social content and democratic character. From the structuring of the stages and objectives of the Government and the determination of the principles that would govern the project, the Armed Forces marked with height, coherence and consequence the national reality and the itinerary designed.

The Armed Forces had to assume the leadership of the country, aware that this task did not mean a mere restoration of the broken institutionality, since the systematic destruction to which the Homeland had been subjected had deeply undermined coexistence and national development; therefore, it was imperative to go further and create a modern, profound system of the country, with a clear social content and democratic character. From the structuring of the stages and objectives of the Government and the determination of the principles that would govern the project, the Armed Forces marked with height, coherence and consequence the national reality and the itinerary designed.