Laura Allende

Laura Sofía Allende Gossens (3 September 1911 – 23 May 1981) was a Chilean politician and member of the Allende family.

Early life and education Allende was born on 3 September 1911 in Valparaíso, the youngest daughter of and Laura Gossens Uribe. Through her father, Allende was a member of the Allende family, a prominent Chilean political family. Allende's older brother was the Doctor and Chilean President, Salvador Allende.

Through her brother Salvador, Allende was the aunt of Isabel Allende and Beatriz Allende.

Political career From 1955–1965, Allende worked for the Copper Office (Departamento del Cobre). Mary Ann's brother, the commercial engineer William Beausire, was abducted by DINA agents at Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Buenos Aires.

Following Allende's arrest a communiqué by the Under Secretary of the Interior Enrique Montero Marx, posited that four grenades were found in Allende's home alongside letters and documents supporting the MIR. During Allende's imprisonment, Gastón Pascal Lyon was also detained in isolation at Cuatro Álamos.

Life in exile On 21 March 1975, Allende was exiled from Chile indefinitely and was deported to Mexico alongside 94 other Chilean political exiles. In 1976, Sergio Insunza requested that the International Commission of Investigation into Crimes of the Military Junta in Chile heard Allende's testimony of her imprisonment.

From 1976 onwards Allende lived in Cuba. Allende left a suicide note for Fidel Castro, expressing the difficulty of her physical condition and her great sorrow that she couldn't return to Chile. On 25 May, the released a public statement.

Upon her ashes returning to Chile, a Requiem for Allende's was held on the 28 May 1988 in Santiago. On 28 August 1988, Allende was reinterred at the Allende family mausoleum in the Santiago General Cemetery.