Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990) themselves by trying to burn and destroy incriminating evidence. Such actions had the effect of justifying the existence of heavily armed forces in Chile. And by extension, justified the dictatorship's conduct against such "violent" offenders. In the 1970s junta members Gustavo Leigh and Augusto Pinochet clashed on several occasions beginning in the day of the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. Leigh criticized Pinochet for having joined the coup very late and then pretending to keep all power for himself. In December 1974 Leigh opposed the proposal to name Pinochet president of Chile. Leigh recalls about that moment that, "Pinochet was furious,
Chile–Ireland relations democratically elected President of Chile since before the military dictatorship was President Patricio Aylwin of Irish descent. In the early 1990s, both Chile and Ireland established diplomatic relations and in 2002, Chile opened its first resident embassy in the Irish capital. Presidential visits from Chile to Ireland Presidential visits from Ireland to Chile In 2015, total trade between Chile and Ireland totaled €252 million Euros. 70% of Chilean exports to Ireland is in Chilean wine followed by coffee, tea and grapes. Ireland's main exports to Chile include: cranes, computers, medicine and industrial oil and alcohol. In 2002, Chile and the