Chile: the balanced view : a recopilation of articles about the Allende years and after

received nearly half a billion dollars in short-term loans from over filteen differ.ent countries, mostly socialist, and over an additional half a billion dollars in loans for longer term investments.(64) It is apparent that there was foreign opposition to Allende that was both active and growing throughout his administration. However, it is equally apparent from the evidence thus far presented and the discussion to follow, that the Allende government failed to develop an effective political strategy for dealing with the serious problems that its own economic policies caused among both domestic and international ¡nterest. The Allende claims that the principal reason forthe country increasing economic and political difficul– ties during his last two years in office were due to an "invisible blockade" designed to overthrow his government are not convincing. The principal cause of the nation's difficul– ties appears to have been due more to the government's own economic policies and lack of poi itical foresight. With the foregoing overview of Allende's economic problems in mind, let us now turn to the political problems with which the Unidad Popular was faced. CHILEAN POLITICS DURING ALLENDE It is ironic to note that just as in Frei's case, the substantive political problems which Allende faced during his administration were caused as much by conflicts within his own party as from opposition political groups. Internally, the extreme left-wing faclion of his own Socialist party led principally by Carlos Altamirano, was a key factor in preventing an early alliance between the Unidad Popular and Christian Democrats, while in the long run the actions of extremist elements within Allende's coalilion such as the Movimiento de Iz– quierda Revolucionaria contributed to uniting the Nationals and Christian Democrats against the government. In spite of any conflicts there may have been within his own party, howev.er , Allende's most immediate problems following his first place plurality came from outside of the Unidad Popular coalition. mE OPPOSITION Predictably, the Right reacted with horror lO the possibility of a Marxist government. Thus, wbile the supporters of Allende danced in the streets of Santiago, the wealthy wilhdref theirmoneyfrom Chilean banks and filled every available flighl out ofthe country. In ge'eral, the Right employed every r;neans possi ble, from poi itical schemes and propa– ga' aa to murder, in an effort at preventing Allende's succession to power. The same theme q~ the Right's campaign propaganda that had portrayed Allende as a tool of Moscow was c~.ntinued alter his election, while the Right's first overt political move was its attempt to bui1'9 a majority sentiment in favor of electing the second place finisher: Alessandri. By ha\/\ng Alessandri promise to resign immediately if elected -thereby setting up new eleclions- the Nalionals hoped to attract Christian Democratic support since Frei would have been eligibleto run and in a repeat of 1964 would havewon easily. When the Christian Democrats denounced the plan, the extreme Right-wing's next move was an attempt at kidnapping General René Schneider, the Commander in chief of the Army, an act which il hoped to blame on the extreme Lelt. The kidnapping was badly bungled, however, and General Schneider was killed. In the wake of public outrage a number of prominant Right-wingers fled the country while others were arrested.(65) Also founded soon after the 1970 election was a neo-fascist organizatíon called Patria y Libertad (Homeland and Liberty) whose symbol bore a strikíng resemblance to the Nazi swastika. This group was (64)Chile oblained nel debl relief in 1972 amounting 10 approximalely 300 million from foreign govemmenls al\d privale credilors and credils and loans 10lalling over 600 miIlion from socialisl counlries and sympalhelic capilalisl nalions before Ihe March, 1973 Congressional eleclions. See Quarterly Economic Revíew. February 1973 and May; 22, 1973, p. 22. (65JSee Florencia Varas, Conversaciones con Viaux (Santiago de Chile: Impresiones Eire, 1972). 193