How Did the FPMR Ambush Pinochet’s Motorcade?

Inside FPMR ambushes Pinochet motorcade

On the evening of September 7, 1986, members of the Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front ambushed a motorcade carrying Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet near Cuesta de Las Achupallas. The guerrillas had selected this bottleneck road between Santiago and El Melocoton after hiding in a rented house for five days while posing as seminary students. At 18:35, a vehicle pulling a camping trailer swerved in front of the convoy to block the road. The attackers opened fire with machine guns, rifles, and rocket launchers, creating an intense fusillade that cut down the police motorcycle escort. The second car in the five vehicle caravan exploded from a rocket attack, while Pinochet rode in an armored Mercedes positioned fourth in the line.

The assault involved seventeen rifles, sixteen of which were automatic M16 models, along with ten M72 LAW rocket propelled grenade launchers and one submachine gun. The guerrillas also possessed an unknown number of homemade grenades. Pinochet later recalled the intense firing from all sides, noting the use of various heavy weapons. The armored Mercedes sustained thirty eight bullet hits, but none of the projectiles pierced the vehicle's armor plating. Five of Pinochet's bodyguards were killed during the engagement, and eleven people were wounded in the automatic weapon fire and grenade attack. The operation, termed Operation 20th Century by the FPMR, was partially planned in Switzerland and at a house in Paris. Bulletproof vests for the mission were reportedly donated by conscripts in Sweden and Switzerland, highlighting the international dimensions of the guerrilla preparation for this specific ambush.

What People Saw and Reported

Pinochet's driver demonstrated quick thinking by immediately reversing the armored Mercedes out of the line of fire. The driver then turned the vehicle around and sped back to El Melocoton to radio for reinforcements. The car was later displayed in Santiago, showing thirty eight bullet hits that failed to penetrate the armor. The driver's maneuvering was a key factor in the survival of the dictator during this eight minute assault on the Andean mountain road. The guerrillas rented a house in the vicinity, posing as seminary students where they hid for five days prior to the attack and reportedly were given training by an army officer.

A rebel leader who claimed to have led the ambush stated that the attempt failed because a U.S. made rocket fired at the car did not explode. The leader explained that the rocket hit the bulletproof back window of the armor plated Mercedes but failed to detonate. Another rocket reportedly failed to fire entirely. The leader described the attack as intended tyrannicide, aiming to annihilate Pinochet by destroying his car with two rocket launchers. The government spokesman dismissed the communique as propaganda aimed at obstructing the investigation. The record leaves unresolved the exact sequence of mechanical failures, but it confirms the presence of multiple rocket launchers and the specific failure of the primary explosive device to function as intended during the ambush.

What Changed Next

The assassination attempt triggered a wave of repression against dissidents of the dictatorship, marking a significant shift in the political climate. In direct response to the attack, Pinochet declared a ninety day state of siege to crack down on leftist activities across the country. The government conducted dozens of arrests in the immediate period following the ambush, seeking to identify and detain those responsible for the violence. Despite these extensive efforts, no individual was formally charged with the specific act of ambushing the presidential motorcade. The lack of formal charges highlighted the challenges faced by authorities in linking the captured suspects directly to the planning and execution of the operation.

The Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front, established by the Communist Party in December 1983, had previously carried out hundreds of bombings on government targets and American banks. This presidential ambush represented the organization's first major guerrilla attack, distinguishing it from their prior sporadic campaign of urban violence. The group had been active in causing unrest in the country through these smaller incidents. Two conscripts had deserted Pinochet's army to join the rebel ranks that year, indicating a level of internal dissent within the military structure.

Why It Still Matters

The event concluded with the survival of Augusto Pinochet, who sustained only a minor gunshot wound to the hand during the eight minute assault. His ten year old grandson, who was present in the vehicle, was not hurt during the intense exchange of fire. The failure of the U.S. made rocket to explode after striking the bulletproof back window was cited by the rebel leader as the primary reason for the failed assassination. The incident remains a documented case where technical malfunctions and rapid tactical decisions determined the outcome of a high profile political attack.

The aftermath saw the implementation of a ninety day state of siege, which formalized the government's response to the security breach. The FPMR's operation, known as Operation 20th Century, had been planned with international support, including bulletproof vests donated by conscripts in Sweden and Switzerland. The death of former President Jorge Alessandri on August 31 had influenced the timing by requiring Pinochet to travel back to Santiago.

You Might Also Like

MLK Assassination — April 4, 1968

Apr 4, 2026

Strom Thurmond begins filibuster of Civil Rights Act — August 28, 1957

Aug 28, 2026

How Did Executive Order 9981 Desegregate the U.S. Military?

Jul 26, 2026