"Ercilla" was established in 1936. The magazine was published on a biweekly basis and had its headquarters in Santiago. It featured articles on news and cultural events. The magazine was published by a state-controlled company, Zig-Zag, which was later renamed Quimantu, until the coup d'état in Chile in 1973. However, the magazine had an independent editorial stance and in fact, was critical of Salvador Allende just before the collapse of the Allende government. In addition it held a conservative stance until the coup.