What role did USA play in the existence of the Chilean fascist government during the 1970s?

Question

I am looking for historical facts, not polemics. Keep your "pro-American" rants to yourself if you have any. Serious answers only, please.

Answer 1

The USA just about caused it to happen. There were American military side-by-side with the coup leaders right after the coup. Of course, nothing has been documented to show that they were there before the coup, but a reasonable inference would strongly suggest it. In the era of Commophobia, it was obviously in the USA's interest to get rid of a left-leaning regime in Chile.

Answer 2

Just borrow and read Christopher Hitchens's 'The Trial of Henry Kissinger' for a concise account of what went on- it's not exhaustive, but you can get across the main issues in an hour or two.

Hitchens, since 9/11, has become a darling of the conservative right so he's a good source.

Google 'Colonia Dignidad' - I saw a doco on this a few weeks ago- for info in a thoroughly evil place of torture and child rape, which ultimately became a CIA base.

Also, Chicago School of Economics academic and neo-liberal economist hero Milton Freidman spent a lot of time in Chile making it a 'model' economy.

Answer 3

The CIA was instrumental in bringing Pinochet to power because the Chileans had made the mistake of democratically electing a Marxist dominated government under Salvador Allende.
The USA only likes democracy when it agrees with them as we saw recently when the Palestinians elected Hamas

Answer 4

I remember at the time of the truck drivers' strike, before the coup, reading in Time or Newsweek that the rate of the Dollar had dropped in Chili to historical low levels caused by the massive influx of CIA and ITT money financing the strikes.