Augusto Pinochet had the position of a military ruler.
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte ( [ auˈɣusto pinoˈ ( t ) ʃe ] or [ - ˈ ( t ) ʃet ] 25 November 1915 -- 10 December 2006 ) was a Chilean general , politician and the military ruler of Chile between 1973 and 1990 ; he remained the Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army until 1998 . Pinochet had been promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Army by Allende on 23 August 1973 , having been its General Chief of Staff since early 1972 .