351. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon1
SUBJECT
- Chilean Developments—Sit Report
The Military Junta and the new Cabinet were formally sworn in at 9:50 p.m. September 12. The four service chiefs took the oath as the governing Junta, with Army Commander-in-Chief General Pinochet as President. The Cabinet is composed largely of military officers. Only the Ministers of Education and Justice are civilians. The new Minister of Foreign Affairs is Rear Admiral Huerta. Our Embassy reports that, as of midnight September 12/13, no firing had been heard in downtown Santiago for several hours. There are no reports from industrial areas where the possibility exists of continued conflict. The situation in the rest of the country appears stable. The total curfew in Santiago has been extended until noon, September 13 and is scheduled to take effect again at 1830.
The Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and the Social Democrats (PSD) have apparently decided to issue statements of support for the Junta as soon as possible. Supreme Court President Urrutia has publicly expressed his support in a radio broadcast.
[Page 910]Spain and Guatemala have reportedly decided to apply the Estrada Doctrine and “continue” relations with Chile.2
The Junta formally broke relations with Cuba and has ordered Cuban diplomats to leave the country as soon as possible.
USUN has been informed by the UN Secretariat that a request by Cuba for a Security Council meeting is no longer expected.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 777, Country Files, Latin America, Chile, Vol. VIII. Confidential. Sent for information. Printed from an uninitialed copy.↩
- The Estrada Doctrine, articulated by Mexican Foreign Minister Genaro Estrada in 1930, held that recognition of a government should be based on its de facto existence rather than on its legitimacy.↩