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Event

Chile’s presidential election, 1970

On 4 September 1970 Salvador Allende won a plurality; Chile’s Congress was to choose between the first two on 24 October.

12 links, 12 backed by primary records

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Dates
4 Sep 1970

Connections 12

interventions

  • International Telephone and Telegraph 1970 offered the CIA $1 million in 1970, which the CIA rejected; at least $350,000 of ITT money reached the opposition candidate and party Primary record 1
  • International Telephone and Telegraph 1970 in early 1970 an ITT businessman asked a CIA station officer in Santiago for support for Alessandri, and was given the name of a channel for ITT funds Primary record 2
  • Central Intelligence Agency Jul 1970 rejected an ITT offer of $1 million, but advised ITT how to pass money to a candidate Primary record 1
  • Harold Geneen Jul 1970 offered the CIA a substantial amount of money for the Alessandri campaign Primary record 1
  • John McCone Jul 1970 telephoned CIA Director Helms in July 1970; on 9 September took Geneen’s $1 million offer to Kissinger and Helms and received no response Primary record 1
  • International Telephone and Telegraph Sep 1970 on 9 September 1970 its chairman said he would put up as much as $1 million to assist any government plan to stop Allende; on 29 September a CIA proposal of economic disorder drew no active response, or was rejected, in the staff report’s two wordings Primary record 1
  • Harold Geneen 9 Sep 1970 on 9 September 1970 told McCone he would put up as much as $1 million for a government plan to stop Allende Primary record 1

involved

  • Salvador Allende won a plurality with 36.3 percent of the vote Primary record 1
  • Santiago where in July 1970 a CIA representative met ITT representatives and said the opposition candidate could use financial assistance Primary record 1
  • Government of Chile its Congress was to decide between the first and second finishers on 24 October 1970 Primary record 1
  • Henry Kissinger in a memo of 5 November 1970 told Nixon the election posed “one of the most serious challenges ever faced in this hemisphere”, listed some one billion dollars of U.S. investments that “may be lost, at least in part”, and said a Titoist government’s “model” effect “can be insidious”, while granting that Allende “has legitimacy” Primary record 3
  • United States government an interdepartmental group concluded, the Church staff report says, that the U.S. had no vital interests within Chile Primary record 1
Timeline 8 dates
  1. 1970 International Telephone and Telegraph intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  2. 1970 International Telephone and Telegraph intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  3. Jul 1970 Central Intelligence Agency intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  4. Jul 1970 Harold Geneen intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  5. Jul 1970 John McCone intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  6. Sep 1970 International Telephone and Telegraph intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  7. 4 Sep 1970 Chile’s presidential election, 1970
  8. 9 Sep 1970 Harold Geneen intervened in Chile’s presidential election, 1970
Proof 3 sources
  1. Covert Action in Chile 1963–1973: Staff Report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, U.S. Senate, 18 Dec 1975. Primary record Archived copy
    In subsequent meetings ITT offered to make $1 million available to the CIA. The CIA rejected the offer.
    Eventually at least $350,000 was passed by ITT to this campaign.
    CIA advised ITT as to ways in which it might safely channel funds
    Geneen offered to make available to the CIA a substantial amount of money to be used in support of the Alessandri campaign.
    John McCone telephoned CIA Director Richard Helms.
    McCone does not receive a responsefrom either man.
    he is prepared to put up as much as $1 million for the purpose of assisting any government plan designed to form a coalition in the Chilean Congress to stop Allende.
    ITT rejects the proposal.
    ITT took note of the CIA presentation on economic warfare but did not actively respond to it.
    On September 4, 1970, Allende won a plurality in Chile's presidential election.
    Salvador Allende wins 36.3 percent of the vote in the Presidential election.
    In July 1970, a CIA representative in Santiago met with representatives of ITT
    joint session of its Congress decide between the first- and second-place finishers.
    concluded that the United States had no vital interests within Chile, the world military balance of power would not be significantly altered by an Allende regime
  2. CIA Activities in Chile (report to Congress, 18 September 2000), Central Intelligence Agency, 18 Sep 2000. Primary record Archived copy
    In early 1970 a Station officer was contacted by a United States businessman employed by International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT) urging the US government to provide financial support to one of Allende’s opponents, Jorge Alessandri.
    The Station provided the businessman the name of an individual who could securely funnel ITT funds to Alessandri.
  3. Memorandum for the President, “NSC Meeting, November 6 -- Chile,” 5 November 1970, National Security Archive, George Washington University, 5 Nov 1970. Primary record
    The election of Allende as President of Chile poses for us one of the most serious challenges ever faced in this hemisphere.
    US investments (totaling some one billion dollars) may be lost, at least in part;
    He has legitimacy in the eyes of Chileans and most of the world; there is nothing we can do to deny him that legitimacy or claim he does not have it.
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