Office of the Historian

157. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency1

Washington, October 17, 1970.

SUBJECT

  • Talking Paper on TRACK I

A. Summary of Situation:

1. Unless there is a sudden economic crisis or a serious civil disturbance, the Chilean military probably will not intervene and Salvador Allende will be elected President on 24 October. Since the PDC junta (3–4 October) Allende has been actively trying to: (1) counter the negative image created by our propaganda campaign; (2) allay the fears of the Brazilian and Argentine military; (3) make inroads into the Chilean military; and (4) develop a modus vivendi with the PDC.

2. Despite Allende’s efforts to improve the cohesiveness of his coalition and his relationship with the PDC, the National Plenum of the [Page 383] Socialist Party (PS) (9–10 October) expressed its opposition to any pact with the PDC, and approved a resolution opposing efforts by the PCCh to suppress the Leftist Revolutionary Movement (MIR). The PS Plenum’s actions and Allende’s belligerent pledge to strictly carry out the UP program will complicate his efforts to unify his coalition and maintain PDC support.

3. Meanwhile, President Frei has not entirely given up on the possibility of finding a political solution, but both he and the military seem unable or unwilling to pull themselves together to deny Allende the Presidency.

B. Actions:

1. All WH Stations and some European [less than 1 line not declassified] continue to produce propaganda items for placement and replay throughout Latin America and Europe. Special newspaper and magazine articles, editorials, and TV and radio broadcasts have intensified the propaganda treatment of the Chilean situation. Much of this increase can be attributed to Agency assets who were sent to Santiago for the express purpose of developing prop articles for their newspapers.

2. The 12 [19] October Time Magazine cover story on Chile for which the Agency provided background material provoked a special attack from the Communists which appeared in the 16 October issue of El Siglo.

3. Last minute briefings by [less than 1 line not declassified] Ambassador Korry may have been responsible for Ex-President Lleras of Colombia urging Frei to intervene in the PDC junta and do whatever possible to stop Allende.

4. Funds were approved [less than 1 line not declassified] to organize non-Communist factions within the UP in opposition to the PCCh.

5. [less than 1 line not declassified] a six-page daily newspaper (10,000 copies) sponsored by the PDC Women Against Allende organization. This paper, Pueblo Libre, attacks Tomic and Prado for their support of Allende and attempts to promote PDC abstention on 24 October.

6. Santiago Station has reactivated the “sewage” press and is distributing anti-Allende materials to government officials, Armed Forces, municipal officials and Congressmen.

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Chile–ITT–CIA 1963–1977, Lot 81D121, Chile–CIA 1970. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only.↩