1- HE CHILEAN PRESS IS SPECULATING THAT MANUEL CONTRERAS, THE FORMER HEAD OF THE CHILEAN NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE, HILL SE AMONG THOSE INDICTED NEXT MEEK IN THE ASSASSINATION Of ONE-TIME AMBASSADOR TO THE US ORLANDO LETELIER-BECAUSE IT IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT CONTRERAS WOULD NOT HAVE ACTED WITHOUT PRESIDENT PINOCHET'S CONSENT, THE PRESIDENTOUGH TIME AHEAD AND HAS BEEN WORKING TO CONSOLIDATE HIS POLITICAL POSITION. AIR FORCE GENERAL LEIGH'S OUSTER YESTERDAY FROM THE RULING JUNTAOVE IN THIS DIRECTION -
^ LEIGH'S OUSTER WAS THE CULMINATION OF HIS LONGSTANDING FEUD WITH PINOCHET OVER THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY. IN THIS INSTANCE, LEIGH'S PERSONAL CRITICISM OF PINOCHET DURING AN INTERVIEWOREIGN CORRESPONDENT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE PRESIDENT, WHO WAS SUPPORTED BY THE OTHER JUNTA MEMBERS AND THE COUNCIL or MINISTERS. LEIGH'S REMOVAL ELIMINATES PINOCHET'S MOST CRITICAL COLLEAGUE AND STRENGTHENS THE PRESIDENT'S CONTROL OVER THE JUNTA. |
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PINOCHET APPARENTLY BELIEVES HIS POSITION ISIN RECENT HEEKS* HE HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRYONTINUATION OF HISHE HAS SEEN ARGUING THAT ,iC MANY OF CHILE'S DOMESTIC PROBLEMS UOULD BECOME UNMANAGEABLE IF HE HERE REMOVEDPINOCHET ALSO HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PLAYING UPON FEARS THAT CHILE IS BEING ENCIRCLED BY UNFRIENDLYAND THAT IT IS OFTEN THE VICTIM OF FOREIGN INTERVENTION IN ITS DOMESTIC AFFAIRS <|
| ONE RESULT OF HIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN THE FORMATIONERSONALIST POLITICAL VEHICLE SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT. THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS AND OTHER OPPOSITION POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THIS, BUT THEY ARE NOTOSITION TO HINDER IT IF PINOCHET JUDGES THAT THE PUBLIC IT IN FAVORTHE PRESIDENT HAS SUBSTANTIAL POPULAR APPEAL, BUT PERSONAL MOVEMENTS HAVE HAD LESS SUCCESS IN CHILE THAN IN OTHER LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES^ | DESPITE PINOCHET'S EFFORTS, SOME MILITARY OFFICERS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING LOU-KEY DISCUSSIONS ON THE POSSIBILITY OF REPLACING HIM. FOR THE FEU UHO HAVE CONSIDERED THE Mill
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IABILITY FOR SOME TIME* THE PROSPECT THATBE INDICTED ARGUESLEAN SHEEP OF THE CURRENT
| FOR THE MAJORITY MHO STILL SUPPORT PINOCHET, HOWEVER THE ONLY MAY TO PRESERVE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE MILITARY REGIME IS TO KEEP HIM IN POWER- ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE LITTLE ELSE IN COMMON* BOTH GROUPS BELIEVE THAT CONTRERAS AND PINOCHET HILL BE CONDEMNED ANEU BY THE WORLD MEDIA AND THAT CHILE'SREPUTATION WILL BE EVEN MORE TARNISHE&J
WHATEVER HAPPENS DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS. IT IS CLEAR THAT PINOCHET IS PREPARED TO FIGHT ANY MOVE TO OUST HIM. HIS INCLINATION IS TO TOUGH IT OUT* RELYING ON HIS MILIARY AND POPULAR SUPPORT AS HELL AS ON HIS BELIEF THAT HE HIMSELF CANNOT BE INDICTED IN THE LETELIER MURDERWHETHER HE HILL BE ABLE TO RIDE OUT THE STORM IS AN OPEN QUESTION.
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Original document.
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