United States intervention in Chile
The U.S. Intervention in Chile was a policy that sought the overthrow the democratically elected Chilean president Salvador Allende promoting and supporting a series of activities some oriented to terrorize the population. The formal instruction to the CIA base in Chile was “It is a firm and continuing policy that Allende be overthrow by a coup. It will be much preferable to have this transpire prior to 24 of October, but efforts in this regard will continue vigorously beyond this date. We are to continue to generate maximum pressure towards this end, utilizing every appropriated resource. It is imperative that these actions be implemented clandestinely and securely so that USG and American hand be well hidden…”
The first documented action in this regard was the kidnapping of René Schneider, the army commander (because he was a constitutionalist, i.e. he would not support a coup). The CIA in Santiago kept contact with two groups inside the military and provided guns and money for this action. One group succeeded in a an action that resulted in the killing of the Army commander on the spot. The result was just the opposite that his promoters expected, instead of terrorizing the population, the citizens and the military rallied behind the just elected Allende. Failing this action, President Richard Nixon gave orders to Richard Helms, at this time the CIA Director, to implement economics sanctions that resulted in extended suffering to the general population. Some people think that the resulting instability created the conditions for the successful military coup against Allende, in 1973.