Nicanor Díaz Estrada

Between 1971 and 1972, Díaz Estrada served as director of the Air War Academy (Academia de Guerra Aérea).^[3]

On the morning of the 11 September 1973 coup d’état, he was stationed at the Ministry of National Defense, from where he ordered the arrest of the incumbent minister, Orlando Letelier.^[3] Later that day, Air Force General Alberto Bachelet was also detained in the same building.

Following the success of the coup, Díaz Estrada was appointed deputy chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Estado Mayor Conjunto).^[3]

During the first cabinet reshuffle made by the Military Junta on 11 July 1974, he was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, serving until 8 March 1976.^[1] His tenure included early efforts to open communication channels with trade union leaders.

He subsequently served as head of the Air Force Personnel Directorate.^[4]

In 1977 he returned to a government role as chief of the National Defense General Staff, participating in strategic preparations related to the Beagle conflict. He retired from the Air Force on 24 July 1978, reportedly dissatisfied with the removal of General Gustavo Leigh from the junta.^[4]

From then on, Díaz Estrada adopted an increasingly critical stance toward the Pinochet regime and ultimately voted for the “No” option in the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite.^[4]

He died in June 2003.^[4]