Source: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
“Pinochet Files | Richard Nixon Museum and Library,” n.d. https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/finding-aids/pinochet-files.
For a while, the United States’ involvement in the 1973 coup was hidden from the public for many years. It was not until recently that the government would show documents that showed their involvement in trying to stop Salvador Allende from reaching power during the 1973 election of Chile. The release of these documents shows how involved the United States was in Latin countries like Chile. The document of choices from the Pinochet Files that we are examining are messages being sent from the white house to a Chile ambassador. These messages talk about different ways to influence election outcomes.
During the Cold war, the United States was doing everything in its power to stop the spread of communism in Latin American countries. To stop the spread of communism in other countries, the United States would try to have governments that supported their ideas and goals in power. Often these involve plans to influence an election or planned a coup to overthrow a government. This would lead to Chile being watched by the United States government since one of the candidates running at that time in Chile was a man named Salvador Allende. Salvador Allende was a Marxist political member, that was running in the 1970 election of Chile. The purpose of this file being released is to show how the United States played a role that would lead to a coup.
In the file named “ White House involvement in Chilean Election,” the white house has been in contact with an ambassador from Chile named Korry. This file document shows multiple messages being sent back and forth over the election of 1970. In this document white suggests multiple ways deal with Allende, one being an increase in economic pressure “In a report to you, while you were abroad, Director Helms indicated that the 40 Committee on September 29 accepted some of Kory’s ideas for economic pressure” [1] This government documents give a great insight into how the inner workings of outside nations played a role in overthrowing the Chilean government.
[1]“Pinochet Files | Richard Nixon Museum and Library,” n.d. https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/finding-aids/pinochet-files.