On January 2, 1974, Chile experienced the beginning of a brutal military regime led by General Augusto Pinochet after a coup in September 1973. While the coup occurred earlier, January marked the start of a major shift in the Chilean military government, which lasted until 1990. The regime was marked by severe human rights violations, including torture and executions. The coup was supported by U.S. interests to prevent communist influence in Latin America. Pinochets rule is a controversial and painful chapter in Chiles history.