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Presidont Pinochet appears to bo under growing fire from junta mumbers and high military officers over charges of Chilean complicity in the Letelier murder case, which le having damaging repercussions domestically internationally.
abrupt resignation of former intelligence chief General. Manuel Contreras froir his post as conrnnder of the Army Engineering Corps on Tuesday nay be calculated to get Pinochet's government off the hook, but it could backfire. If Contreras is implicated, it will befor Pinochet to escape guilt by association since the former secret police chief has been one of the Presidents closest collaborators.
Contreras was ousted as acting head ol tho National Intelligence Center last November. At that time, and apparently with considerable reluctance, Pinochet bowed to pressure from civilian advisers and senior Military officers who disliked Contreras and implied that heistinct liability to the government. The intelligence apparatus had been roorganiied and renamed shortly before Contreras was promoted to general and shifted to the less important army post. His influence with the President remained intact despite the setback. For instance. Pinochet dispatched Contreraspecial emissary to discuss the Beagle Channel dispute with ArgentineVideia in January.
Most of the excesses that evoked strident criticism of Chilean human rights practices occurred while the security service waa Contreras* domain. If the trail in the Letolier investigation has led to Contreras, Pinochet will find lt hard to absolve himself, and he may face strong reaction within the armedincluding some plotting against him.
Junta member and Air Force commander General Leigh, whose relations with Pinochet have grown increasingly
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ia already sniping at the President for his handling of the Letelier matter,
_ "Tome suniot
officers are also expreeiing concern about the impact of tho investigation on the image of the Chilean armed forces.
There are no signs that dissatisfaction with Pinochet is widespread within the military, and Leigh is likely to keep his criticisms within acceptable bounds until further evidence is available on the Lotel'er affair, while the Air Force chief considara himaelf an alternative to Pinochet, he has no firm base of support and the Army is unlikely to side with himove to supplant the President.
Pinochet may yet ride out the storm if hiscan divert blame or refute charges that it wassomehow in the assassination. Buteriously incriminating linkage emerges, finessing will bo hard. In any case, the political costs to the regime willba high. If the government fails to extricate itself from this sffair, Pinochet may for the first time find his position precariousis power open to challenge.
Original document.
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