wausfpp.org
Spain took over Chile in the 1500s.
In 1817 and 1818, Chile won its independence from Spain. The next century saw some degree of liberalization.
In 1927 General Carlos Ibanez del Campo seized power. He was later elected, in 1952.
The CIA meddled in the Chilean election of 1964 to make sure popular Marxist candidate Salvador Allende lost. He did. Eduardo Frei Montalva, Christian Democrat, won.
Despite continued CIA opposition, Allende won the 1970 election. He began radical reforms and nationalization.
Immediately after Allende's election, US President Nixon authorized the CIA to spend $10 million dollars and stage a military coup to get rid of him. The US tried to bring him down through trade embargo, cloak and dagger chicanerie, propaganda, staged strikes, etc.
In 1970 the CIA planned and backed the kidnapping of General Rene Schneider because he, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, was a firm believer in civilian control of the military - i.e., a military coup against Allende couldn't succeed with him in the way. The Chilean confederates of the CIA botched the kidnapping and Schneider ended up dead. Nonetheless, he was out of the way.
In 1972 two members of President Nixon's staff were implicated in a burglary at the Chilean Embassy in Washington, DC.
Finally General Augusto Pinochet and others pulled off their CIA-backed coup and took power. Allende committed suicide on September 11, 1973.
The Pinochet years were terrible, with the usual death squads, torture, etc.
Finally Pinochet stepped down in 1990. He was succeeded by a series of democratically elected center-left presidents. These presidents gradually restored civilian rule and reduced the power of the military. Pinochet was arrested, but kept avoiding trial due to his health. He died in December 2006.
The USG exerts heavy influence over Chile's economy and military. The USG subverted the Chilean democratic election process. The USG is an accomplice to the crimes of removing Chile's democratically elected leader and installing a tyrant. The US is an accomplice to thousands of murders, tortures, and other human rights abuses carried out under Pinochet.
Chileans cannot vote for or against the US officials who hold so much power over Chile's economy and military. Chilean courts cannot bring the USG and its employees to justice for the terrible crimes they carried out against the people of Chile.
sources:
http://
http://
http://
Blum, William. Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II. (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press. 2004).