12. Augusto Pinochet (Chile)
In 1973, General Augusto Pinochet led a military coup that ousted President Salvador Allende, initiating a 17-year dictatorship marked by severe human rights abuses. The regime systematically tortured and executed thousands of political opponents, with official reports documenting at least 3,197 deaths and 29,000 cases of torture. Additionally, approximately 1,000 individuals remain disappeared. The military junta dissolved the constitution, dissolved Congress, and imposed a state of emergency, leading to widespread repression and international condemnation.
