Why did the US support the Chilean Coup against Allende in 1973?

Answer

Allende was a Socialist. The Unidad Popular coalition didn't plan to abolish capitalism, but to reform it in a Keynesian sense. The US government accused Allende of promoting Soviet interests in Latin America, although he was certainly no friend of the Soviet Union and denounced the invasion of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The alleged reason why the US government and the CIA installed a Fascist dictatorship in Chile and supported it by training torturers etc., was the perceived danger to US companies in Chile. Under Pinochet, Chile became a testbed for the Neoliberal ideology (Chicago boys), and that experiment was certainly easier to carry out under a brutal dictatorship, as it required pauperizing a great part of the population.

Answer

The U.S. C.I.A. brought about the de-stabilization of the Govt. of Chile because the U.S. communications company,I.T.and T. thought that the Chilean Govt was going to nationalize its assets there, and I.T.T.put pressure on the U.S.Govt. through its connections and lobbying groups. The war that followed and the suffering of the people there was by the U.S. installing General Pinochet in power. He was later world renowned as a brutal dictator and attempts were made to prosecute him in the courts.As we learned later the Chilean Govt. was not intending to nationalize the assets anyway,so it was all for no reason.

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by Trucker11. Contributor trust: 67 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 244 [recommend question]