About

Orlando Lagos

Chile
Luis Orlando Lagos Vázquez (1913-2007), also known as 'Chico' Lagos, was a Chilean photojournalist. In 1970, he became an official staff photographer at Chile's presidential palace La Moneda. He also covered President Salvador Allende's political campaigns. During the 1973 military coup, in which Allende died, Lagos escaped the palace under attack together with Allende's daughters Beatriz and Isabel. Anonymously, he was awarded the World Press Photo of the Year award in 1974. Dane Bath, picture editor of The New York Time, that had submitted the image, received his award in his place. It was not until after Lagos' death in 2007, that the Chilean newspaper La Nación revealed his identity as the maker of the photo showing Salavdor Allende moments before his death.