JUNECH OPPOSITION TO LAW OF DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R006100610008-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 27, 2000
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 3, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION W&
CE iTRA/L INTELLIGENCE q N ~ ~ .
Approved For Release 000 05/18 :CIA- D 82-S4 R0061006 0R 3 NO
# FO TtON , REPORT CD NO,
COUNTRY Chile
(NF~~~N
SUBJECT JIJNECh Opposition to LM of
Defense of Democracy
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
DATE DISTR.; :Y ;rG
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1. Leaders of the Junta National do Empleados de Chile (JUUECh), the Chilean
white-collar employees labor organization which has been considered to be in
general free of Communist control, are reported to believe that the anti-
Communist Law of Defenso of Democracy should be repealed. JUNECh leaders be-
lieve that the Defense of Democracy Law has not been effective in eliminating
Communists from political and syndical activities. They feel, on the contrary.,
that it has worked against the best interests of non-Communist s,~rndical organ-
izations. Under the law, Communists, as alleged members of othe? political
entities, are able to direct the activities of the various emplo~ree and labor
organizations in which they have influence, in accordance with the Communist
line.
2. JUi:ECh leaders reportedly believe that if the Communists were allowed to
operate openly as Communists, non-Co._ unist labor and employee leaders would
be able to recognize them and could defend themselves against their maneuvers.
The disguised Communists are the most active and efficient members of the
syndical organizations, and at present, non-Communist labor leaders are unable
to denounce Communist activities for fear of provoking adverse reactions among
the members of their syndicates. The JUNECh feels that if the Communists were
allowed to act openly, they could be attacked openly and possibly eliminated
from important positions within the labor organizations.
3. JUIMChas president, Eduardo Long Alessandri, who is not considered to be either
a Communist or a Communist sympathizer, is opposed to the Law of Defense of
Democracy, and believes it should be repealed. It is reported that JJECh will
devote a considerable part of its efforts in the coning months to working for
the repeal of the anti-Communist law. It will also oppose other government pro-
jects., such as the Obligatory Savin;s bill and the proposal, known as the Ley
del Delito Econonico, to consider illegal strikes as economic crimes.
Comment. On 2I. September 1950 the JUItECh decided to consult with loaders
of the Communist-front Defense of Public Liberties Committee to work for the
release of Dernardo Araya Zuleta, head of the Confederacion de Traba iadores ' de
Chile Comunista,, who had been arrested the week before under the law of Defense
of Democracy.
In mid-October, President Gonzalez Videla stated that he would favor repeal of
the law if it could be certain that the Communists were not acting for floscow,
This document is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENT IAt. in accordance with the
letter of 16 October 1973 from the
Director of Central Intelligence to the
Archivist of the United States.
Next Review Date: 2008
:,? :fit ~~
Kts
Mass.
Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006100610008-3
 Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006100610008-3
"AJ
CEIJTRAL I ifi' tJ IGEIiCE AGE lCY
Considerable opposition to the law is grotring and it is believed that the
President may be forced to abandon his support of the lav. The coning
election to replace recently-deceased Arturo 4lessandri in the Senate is
considered of great importance to the Goverment, since an opposition leftist
flenato-? could possibly turn the "balance against the 1n,WQ
Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : X82-00457R006100610008-3