History of Chile him to Spain. Thereafter, Pinochet returned to Chile in March 2000. Upon descending the plane on his wheelchair, he stood up and saluted the cheering crowd of supporters, including an army band playing his favorite military march tunes, which was awaiting him at the airport in Santiago. President Ricardo Lagos later commented that the retired general's televised arrival had damaged the image of Chile, while thousands demonstrated against him. The "Concertación" coalition has continued to dominate Chilean politics for last two decades. In January 2006 Chileans elected their first woman president, Michelle Bachelet, of the Socialist Party. She was sworn
Orders, decorations, and medals of Chile was the most senior honour of Chile. The Head of State was established as the head of the Legion. However, after O'Higgins resigned in January 1823, the President of the Regency Council, José Miguel Infante, effectively abolished the order in June 1825. The order was established in four classes: The Order of Merit of Chile () was established in 1906, as a successor order to the Legion of Merit, to 'reward outstanding civil service to the Republic of Chile provided by foreign nationals'. The order is governed by the "Council of the Order of Merit of Chile". The President of