Office of the Historian

3. Telegram From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State1

Santiago, March 25, 1969, 2105Z.

1172. Subj: Postscript to Frei Conversation (Politics). Refs: Santiago 1161.

1. Frei congratulated me on the accuracy of my pre-electoral predictions and noted another “success”—that I had realized my hope of dissuading Chilean and American industrialists from supporting the Radical Party. He said the Radicals had undoubtedly been hurt by the shortage of funds (except for Senators Bossay and Sule who had many friends). But the current Marxist-Courtin leadership of the Radicals had been given a hard boot and I had served Chilean democracy well by my well-placed kick.

2. However, he wanted me to know that Anaconda had made a great effort to get elected Senator Mauras in the north. Fortunately it had not succeeded. Moreover, he had just discovered that Anaconda had cut off its gravy to defeated Radical Senator Jonas-Gomez in the same zone.

3. I remarked that what pleased me most about the US was the recent elections marked the first time in many years that the US, private or public, had not been accused by anyone of playing a role in the elections.

4. Frei also disclosed that it was costing about 30,000 escudos monthly ($3,000) to run the organization he has established to maintain his control over the PDC (reftel). When I asked if funding were a problem, he replied candidly that politicians with good causes never have difficulty finding friends with funds.

Korry

  1. Summary: Korry reported on his discussion with Frei regarding political issues in Chile.

    Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 1 CHILE–US. Secret; Exdis. Reference telegram 1161 from Santiago, March 25, is Document 5 in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XXI, Chile, 1969–1973.

    ↩