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

and intervention, thus creating conflict with those countries and with their resident citízens which in no way helped to better the position 01 Chile. INDEPENDENCY AS AN OBJECTlVE OF INTERNATIONAL POLICIES The lormer allows us to observe that Ihe ínternational polícies 01 the Popular UnílY were dívíded into two parallel and simultaneous movemenls; on Ihe one hand the vertiginous prolileration 01 the polítical, economical and linancial relalions with the Socíalist countríes; and on the other hand, the accelerated restriction and reduction 01 Ihese same relations with the United States and Western Europe. II this lasl movemenl had obeyed policies set down by the counlries in queslíon Ihere is no sense in attaching any responsibilily at all lo Ihe Administration 01 the Popular Unity; nevertheless, save some exceptional caSeS, this was not so, but rather 10llQwed the policies that the Popular Unity carried out. The conclusion that can be drawn is the lollowing: that the linal objective 01 the international policies 01 the Popular Unity was to locate Chile directly in the political and economic orbit 01 the Socialist block in very similar terms to what Cuba did belor.e. The greatest symbol 01 this intention was when, lor the lirst time in the history 01 Chile, a Chiel 01 State, Mr. Allende, commited the irritatíng act 01 recognizing in a loreign power, Ihe Soviet Uníon, a "big brother" ofthe Republic. This conclusion should certainly no! surprise anyone as the lirst loyalty 01 a Marxist has always been to his ideology, which recognizes in the USSR its su preme interpreler. Nevertheless, unlike the period 01 time in which Cuba completed its process 01 alignment, the conditions 01 international politícs had changed. The raprochemerit of the Uniled States and Weslern Europe wíth the Soviet llnion and the Republic 01 Popular China, has brought about a situation in which the alignment 01 the developing countri.es with one block or another should not represent a clear advantage lor the developed countries that deal Irom the top 01 the block, especial fy due to the mi litary and linancial commitments that such alígnment implies; the process 01 the lormation 01 the developed countríes block has demonstrated th~t their main interest lies in the strengthening 01 relations and mutual cooperation, which at the same time lead to a lading interest in the alignment 01 the developing countries and shows, 01 course, that they are not wi IIing to pay the price 01 such alignment, which in the case 01 Cuba proved to be extremely high. It would be redundant to say that such an alignment has never been compatible with Ihe real interest 01 the develo– ping counlries, because it only leads to its dependence, allhough it is a lact that the governing minorilíes many limes have promoted this in order to insure their survival, counting on Ihe supporl 01 foreign powers with whom they have ideological affinity. In these circumslances, it is an obvious lact that the Soviet Uníon showed hersell to be less receplive to the joining 01 a new partner in the Socialist block, especially in the case 01 Chi le il this would mean a financial burden lar greater than Cuba's -which is already quite considerable- due lo the notorious ability ofthe "hombres nuevos" (new men) lo reduce the national economy lo ruins and lead the country into bankruptcy. This lact, linked lo Ihe presence 01 inslitulional lorces on the internal level, prevented that Ihe alorementioned objective 01 international poticy be fully carried out, to close behind Chile an iron curtain. THE GRADUAL PENETRATION Nevertheless, Ihis does not mean that the opportunity was not laken lo penetrate as lar as possible in a countrythat showed itsellopen lo such a move in the name olsolidarity. :rhe generous economic aíd indicated aboye was nothíng more than a way lo sell products that because 01 their price and quality could nelier acceptably compete on the international market. The wide range 01 credits given lor the purchasing 01 weapons wasn't alíen to this purpose, especíally ifthey coutd come with hundreds 01 milítary counsellors, as in the case 01 Egypt. The celebration 01 líshíng agreements, that opened manne wealth, oceanogra- 77