Chile declared its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1810, but only gained independence after waging a war against Spain which lasted until 1818. Chile declared itself to be a Republic, with the balance of power swaying between Parliament and the Presidency, over the years. The advent of socialist ideas entered during the early 1900s, the governments growing increasingly socialist in tendency until 1970, when a Communist Government was elected. The government was ousted in 1973 by a military coup lead by the united Armed Forces - Army, Navy, Air Force and Police. The government became a "junta" meaning a group consisting of the heads of the four forces. The Army is the senior service and so General Pinochet was named President of the Junta and the C -in- C of the navy, Admiral J. T. Merino, Vice-President. Power was returned to the civilians with general elections in 1990, when Mr. Patricio Aylwin was elected President for a transition term of four years
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