Chile between the period of 1964 and 1975 represents a great example of how democracy can be eroded through both internal failure, but mainly through the planned efforts of global superpowers. This blog argues that democratic erosion and the eventual collapse in Chile in 1973 were directly caused by the United States and the CIA’s intervention. They used institutional sabotage to destabilize and support the military regime of General Augusto Pinochet.

During this period, a large portion of the world was involved in the Cold War, which was no different for Chile. During this time, the U.S. feared the spread of socialist ideas because they were viewed as a direct threat to American interests. This led to the “domino” theory, where if one country “fell” to communism, others nearby would be inspired. Salvador Allende was a doctor, turned politician who represented the socialist party in Chile. He ran for president four separate times, eventually winning on his final attempt. His campaigns centered around the nationalization of major industries such as the copper industry. 

This would have a significant impact, as in 1964, copper represented 80% of all Chilean exports. On top of this, two American-owned companies (Anaconda and Kennecott) supplied 65% of the foreign revenue for Chile. The U.S. government feared that an Allende presidency would not only seize these assets but also inspire similar movements across the continent. Due to this, U.S. policy was designed to make it impossible for Allende to successfully govern.

Phase One: Institutional Sabotage (1964)

The process of erosion began long before Allende took office. In the 1964 election, the CIA spent a total of $2.6 million directly underwriting the campaign of Eduardo Frei to ensure Allende’s defeat. An additional $3 million was spent on anti-Allende propaganda to scare voters away from his party.

This action represents a weakness in democracy. Specifically, the power that external wealth has to dictate institutions. Frei’s Christian Democratic Party lacked the funds and experience to run a presidential campaign, but with support from the CIA, they were able to run a campaign that mobilized the Chilean population

While democracy appeared to be improving on paper during this period, the underlying structure was already being compromised by foreign interests that had “a large institutional power” compared to local Chilean actors.

Phase Two: Neutralizing the Military (1970)

When Allende finally won the presidency in 1970 with a slim margin of about 40,000 votes, the U.S. shifted from political funding to violent neutralization. Just weeks before Allende’s inauguration, the Chilean Commander-in-Chief, General René Schneider, was assassinated. Schneider was a key supporter of the constitutional order and stood in the way of a military solution.

CIA Director Richard Helms and his aides viewed the assassination as a way to create a “pretext for a military coup”. By removing a leader who upheld the democratic process, the U.S. “guided Chileans to the point… where a military solution is at least an option”. This reveals that democracy relies on a “neutral” military; once the defenders of the constitution are removed or radicalized, the political institutions that sustain elections lose their primary safeguard.

Phase Three: Societal Destabilization (1970–1973)

Once Allende was in power, the United States government shifted its strategy. They went to a maximum effort strategy to destabilize through propaganda and the economy. During this time period, the U.S. spent $8 million on its covert actions. A central part of this was the funding of El Mercurio, one of Chile’s largest newspapers. The CIA sent approximately $2 million to the paper to “pave the way” for a coup through targeted propaganda.

While this was happening, the U.S. also focused on discontent amongst the people. In 1972, a massive truckers’ strike began. Sources state that the CIA directly funded the largest truckers’ union to go on strike. The consequences of this were brutal. These included food shortages and the threat of 500,000 workers becoming unemployed

This period shows how fragile democracy can be when the people are suffering. External actors have immense power to potentially make the quality of life worse, which can hurt the leader’s image. This leads to conditions that might make a coup seem necessary to the public

The Collapse and What It Reveals About Democracy

The democratic erosion shifted to outright collapse on September 11, 1973, when a military coup d’état led by General Augusto Pinochet stormed La Moneda, the presidential palace. During the attack, Allende died, and immediately afterwards, Pinochet dismantled the remaining democratic structures in place. Specifically, he dissolved Congress, outlawed opposition (leftist) parties, and then announced that there would no longer be elections. The Pinochet regime was defined by a multitude of human rights violations. The most famous of these is the “disappearance” of thousands of people in Chile. 

This era in Chile demonstrates parts of democracy:

• Weakness of Sovereignty: Democracy can be manipulated through external forces
• Polarization: Chile was very divided during this period, which allowed for easier influence for the CIA and the United States
• Democracy is a Process: While statistics show that before 1972, democracy in Chile was improving, it fails to acknowledge the process happening behind the scenes that leads to erosion. 
• Hope: Despite a period of almost 20 years without democracy, the Chilean people eventually did vote Pinochet out of power in 1988. This shows that democratic institutions can survive despite repression. 

In conclusion, this story of Chile from 1963-1975 represents a shift from democracy to military dictatorship. This happened due to economic sabotage, suppression of the press, and violence. This serves as a reminder that democracy depeneds just as much on internal policy and the will of the people as it does on handling foreign influence.