president allende died in la moneda during the coup. the junta officially declared that he committed suicide with a rifle given to him by fidel castro, two doctors from the infirmary of la moneda stated that they witnessed the suicide, and an autopsy labelled allende's death a suicide. vice admiral patricio carvajal, one of the primary instigators of the coup, claimed that "allende committed suicide and is dead now." patricio guijon, one of the president's doctors, had testified to witnessing allende shoot himself under the chin with the rifle while seated on a sofa.