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| 1952, Sept. 4 |
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| Voters gave an overwhelming victory to conservative-populist Gen. Carlos Ibañez in presidential elections. | 1 |
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| 1953–58 |
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| Period of increased political activity. Left-wing parties united and formed the Popular Action Front (FRAP), supported by the newly formed Unified Workers Central (CUT). A new Christian Democratic Party (PDC) under EDUARDO FREI MONTALVA (1911–82) also emerged, appealing to Catholic workers, urban white-collar employees, and the rural poor. | 2 |
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| 1955, May 21 |
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| As inflation mounted, Pres. Ibañez blamed the problem on political opposition. | 3 |
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| 1957, March 3 |
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| General elections revealed discontent with the president's economic program. | 4 |
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| 1958, Aug. 5 |
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| The Communist Party was legalized after a ten-year ban. | 5 |
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| Sept. 4 |
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| In presidential elections, a former finance minister, conservative senator Jorge Alessandri, won a plurality of the vote, beating SALVADOR ALLENDE GOSSENS (1908–73) of the FRAP by a mere 33,500 votes. Alessandri vowed to restore free enterprise and seek out foreign capital. | 6 |
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