132. Backchannel Message From the Ambassador to Chile (Korry) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)1
1. Ambassador has received messages re MAP2 but because press of other business will be commenting later Sunday. Meanwhile he wishes you to know following:
2. He met for 90 minutes with Lleras Restrepo Saturday night in presence of Colombian Ambassador. Unfortunately Lleras had spent Friday night and all Saturday with Frei and impact of Ambassador Korry’s conversation means Lleras will have to seek out Frei. He will do so. Lleras single greatest foreign influence on Frei.
3. He met with Paul Rosenstein Rodan who confirmed delivery of personal letter to Frei from both Betancourt and Jacques Maritain (absolutely no repeat no usage yet possible of this information). Latter who is Frei’s ideological Guru told Frei that PDC must oppose Marxism; Betancourt even stronger. Rosenstein Rodan supposedly meeting with Frei Sunday and will press same message together with specific action suggestions that Ambassador Korry put to Lleras. Rosenstein also meeting with his very close friend Lleras to press same line.
4. He met with Raul Saez just prior to Lleras dinner with Saez Saturday night. Saez pressed same lines. Saez contacting Ossa late Saturday or early Sunday with specific action suggestions for Frei and Ossa.
[Page 327]5. Most important suggestion of course is to insist on removal of current PDC leadership and replacement (by Junta) with loyal Freistas who will make negotiation tough for Allende. Also effort to convince Frei to take finally a decision that shows his own hand: —to talk to Junta tomorrow if this Junta going to be last before October 24th or to commit himself to address it at final session whenever it will be. Also to change Frei’s line re unwillingness to run as presidential candidate in event Alessandri chosen (only to resign).
6. He will report later Sunday on what actually occurred PDC Junta Saturday. Meanwhile these facts should be known:
7. Allende is furious over Chuquicamata strike. He wishes it ended ASAP.
8. Allende nephew who private businessman quietly telling a few influential non-marxists that Castro advised Allende to keep relations with US whatever the cost and to negotiate acceptable deals with US.
9. Felipe Herrera is not repeat not seeking foreign ministry but asking for post as super-economic czar with control over all economic and financial activities of cabinet and GOC of Allende. Herrera with connivance of Vuskovich has been arranging for very distinguished group of hemispheric economists gathered here to consider Prebisch report (conference starts Monday) to call on Allende but Ambassador believes he has arranged for delegates to insist that if anything along that line occurs, it would be reverse of Allende calling on conference.
10. Prebisch has criticized Herrera privately (in Washington in presence of Rosenstein Rodan and again here) for his message to Allende and other unseemly actions.