Chilei Election Postscript
The endorsement of the Chilean Government's position In the national referendum last weeklear personal victory for President Pinochet that exceeded hia own expectations. The turnout wasillion out ofillion eligible voters, withercent favoring the govornment'a rejection of the UN reaolution cenauring Chile for human rights violations.
Ho have no evidence that the government employed fraud in the plebiscite. The referendum was carefully worded to appeal to the strong nationalism of the Chileans) Pinochet thereby assured himself of anadvantage against those groups thategative vote.
Pinochet's victory will consolidate his support within the military, particularly the Army, whore doubt
about his judgmo.it and leadership was beginning to spread, and will reaffirm his preeminent poaltion in the junta.esult, ha vill nowraar hand in many areas.
Do-estlc Policy
Pinochet will not hesitate to point to theevidence of his government's legitimacy and ofpolitical astuteness. He has remarked thatbe no more elections or votingecade
evidontly intends to act as though haandate for the alow transition to civilian rule that he outlined last July. His remarks on presidential and congressional elections have been inconsistent, howavar, and ha may show some flexibility or. this point. The Chileans, having now bean allowed to exarclae the vote, are likely to be mora strident in demanding greater political participation.
He expect no harsh now crackdown, but Pinochet will almost cartainly be tougher toward his opponents in the outlawed political parties and in labor and church circles. Although he has proclaimed that the curfew and the etate-of-siage restrictions will remain in force, thereood chance that he will rolax thum when he thinks the point has been made that Chile is not banding to foreign prsssura.
Pinochet will, howevar, weed out dissenters within the government. Ho has announced his intention to reorganize the Foreign Ministry. umbar of officials in this Ministry, Including Admiral Carvajal who heads It, had protaated the call for the referendum. Tha two junta members who opposed theForce chiaf General Leigh and Navy chief Admiralbe forced to step aside,
Leigh Is still sniping at Pinochet. Although he has publicly reaffirmed his loyalty and brushed off suggestionsplit in tha junta, Leigh has confidedew newsman that the President isower-hungry dictator. Leigh also alleged that the CIA Is backing hard-liners in hopes of toppling Pinochet.
It is hard to see what Leigh hoped to gain from his statements. They are almost certain to leak and will
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make his position even more untenable. Leigh may beto provoke Pinochet into removing him, perhaps on tho aasumptlon thattep would catalyse opposition within the armed services and lead to Pinochet's removal. This isisjudgment on Leigh's part.
Foreign Policy
Pinochet has stressed that his government will nowore agresslve foreign policy,arder line toward the UN and other critics.
It is difficult to Judge how he will play thewith the US. Although Improved relations with Washingtonundamental objective of Chile's military leadership, Pinochet probablypecific quid proas support for Chile's requests for loans through internationalbe forthcoming if there are to be further responses on human rights issues.
Chile has made substantial progrt.sn in improving its human rlghta practices, and most Chileans probably resent what thay regardack of recognition of this change. Among the improvements noted |
Crooa and
national organisations that monitor human rights arei
marked reduction in reports of torture,
illegal detentions, and "disappearances."
*Considerable improvement in treatment of political prisoners. ersons remain imprisoned on security-related oharges.
releaseolitical prisoners
over the pnat nr-veral years.
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Original document.
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