Salvador Allende- Notes on His Security Team: the Group of Personal Friends (Gap-Grupo De Amigos Personales)
STUDY SALVADOR ALLENDE- NOTES ON HIS SECURITY TEAM: THE GROUP OF PERSONAL FRIENDS (GAP-GRUPO DE AMIGOS PERSONALES) Cristián Pérez This article describes the formation and development of the first strictly revolutionary institution of the Socialist President Salvador Allende: his security team, known as the Group of Personal Friends or GAP, from its origins in 1970 to the fight at the Presidential Palace (La Moneda). In it I intend to trace the different phases of the organisation, the diversity of its functions and its intimate rela- tionships with, on the one hand, the parties and movements of the Chilean Left and, on the other, with Cuba. CRISTIÁN PÉREZ is studying for his Master´s degree at the University of Santia- go in Chile. Estudios Públicos, 79 (winter 2000). 2 ESTUDIOS PÚBLICOS “Salvador always goes everywhere with his personal bodyguards” (Laura Allende)1 INTRODUCTION2 A t one o´clock in the morning of Tuesday September 11th, the 20 young men who were on guard at the President´s rest house, known as El Cañaveral, in the upper class area of Santiago, were finishing their traditio- nal game of pool when they heard the voice of “Bruno”, the head of the President´s security team, who ordering them to go to their dormitories. The news that he brought about the national situation did not cause any undue anxiety, because over the past few months rumours of a coup against the Government had become almost routine, especially after June 29th, the day of the tanks or el tancazo as it was known.3 At the same time, some kilome- tres towards the centre of the capital, in the house at Tomas Moro No.
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