Miria Contreras

Miria "Payita" Orea Contreras Bell (28 April 1927 – 22 November 2002) was a Chilean secretary and gallerist, known for being the private secretary and mistress of Salvador Allende. Following the 1973 coup d'état, Contreras received political asylum in Cuba and worked as the director of the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende secretariat in exile.

Early life and family Contreras was born on 28 April 1927 (Also cited 1928.)

Contreras was married to Andrés Enrique Ropert Gallet (1912–2013), an engineer, with whom she had three children.

Career

In 1958, Contreras and Ropert bought a house in Providencia, Santiago. During this period Contreras helped administer the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende. However, upon arriving Contreras learnt that Allende had already left for the La Moneda. Arriving at Morandé 80, the side entrance of La Moneda, Contreras quickly exited her car.

Exile On 29 May 1974, Contreras was able to escape to Stockholm, Sweden and four months later was able to relocate to Havana, Cuba.