THREE communists have been appointed to ministerial posts in the cabinet of Chilean President-elect Gabriel Boric, which also includes Maya Fernandez Allende, the granddaughter of slain former president Salvador Allende.

She will take up the post of defence minister, putting her in charge of the country’s armed forces nearly 50 years after her grandfather was killed in a US-backed military coup in 1973.

Camila Vallejo of the Communist Party of Chile was appointed government spokeswoman.