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

DIRECT FOREIGN INTERVENTION Allende's participation in the conspiracy 01 which I speak was not purely rhetorícal. He was responsible lor direc! ínterventions from abroad, such as the extended visit that Castro made to Chile in 1971. Quite aside trom the way in which the Chilean public rejecled him, Castro succeeded in the purpose 01 his visit, i,e, to give lessons, and provide suggestions lo the leaders 01 Unidad Popular lor achieving totalitarianism. Another 01 these interventions was the Treaty on Fishing that the Soviet and Chilean government signed. This treaty contained clauses highly prejudicial to Chilean national security, and implied an abdication 01 our,sovereingty in lavor 01 the Soviet Uníon, The treaty violated categorically provisions 01 ou r national Constitution, while its very exí stence was kept hidden Irom the Chílean Senate. Another incident that I will analyze in more detail involved the visit to Chile 01 the Vice Prime Minister 01 Cuba, accompanied by the Chiel 01 Cuban Secret Police, to help prepare lor civil war, SANS MORALITY, DEMOCRACY BECOMES A HOLLOW POLITICAL FRA– MEWORK In analyzing the lunctioning 01 Chilean political institutions, it is important to note that Allende, in exercising the executive power, used every kind 01 loophole, violating laws and the Constitution, and ignoring or delying the Judiciary, the Controller General and the Legislative power. His deliberate and systematic víolations 01 executive authoríty were not simply a response to the unstated but well known and traditional political game 01 using power to serve the interests 01 a polítícal party, but to the treasonous endeavor 01 handing our country over to a loreign power, I will not state that the possibility 01 such action signilíes the existence 01 a breach, or lailure, 01 our polítical institutions. Nineteenth century liberal democracy was only the institutíonal jramework lor an unwritten, although widely recognízed, moral behavior. Once that moral behavior weakened and, in the end, vanished, as was the case under Allende, liberal democracy became nothing more than a set 01 hollow by-Iaws lor gaining power, and using the government lor any objective, incl ud ing putting an end to that liberal democracy, . How díd our polítical institutíons react to such a mortal threat Irom !he Execu!ive branch? The Judicial Branch did no! hesítate in publ icly accusing the government 01 transgres– sions 01 the laws. And it díd so wíth lirmness and seriousness, usíng its indisputable moral authority, When Allende íssued illegal decrees by-passíng law, the Controller General 01 the Republic rejected those decrees, carrying out his responsibility in a one-man rejection 01 wrong. THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Turning to the Legislative Branch, however, I am lorced to say !ha! Ihe National Congress demonstrated an incapacity and, indeed, a progressively worsening paralysis, in the lace 01 the serious attacks against our political institulions. In spite 01 ímpeaching a number 01 cabinet ministers, ils basic attitude was weak, vacillating and contradictory, showing the erosíon and the impotence 01 the liberal democratic system in the lace 01 totalitarian aggressíon. However, we musl also take note that the House 01 produced a Declaratíon 68