EDUARDO FREI MONTALVA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000201850035-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: January 26, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/21: CIA-RDP90-00552R000201850035-9
A JT f i -':? !' 'EA
.- Affa-
of Gil;
THE WASHINGTON POST
26 January 1982
DUARDO FRET was widely regarded as the "last` liberty" entailing agrarian reform
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best hope" for Latin democracy during?tlie years copper mines 'and income redistribution: He was.
1964-70, when he was president'Qf Chile.-It was a par- serious, but by the time he finished his single con-
donable exaggeration. The Cuban.revolution had ixri- stitutionally allowable six-year term, he had whet-
parted a double sense that the heinispltere was mov ted' popular appetites for considerably more pro-.
ing leftward and. that the: United States had a major gress than he had been able to deliver.----'.-'
interest in checking the:flow. Chile -then enjoyed a Marxist Salvador Allende received a plurality of
reputation,. `as? . the premier 'Latin ' democracy, and the- popular vote in 1970, and`.on the right in Chile
Eduardo Frei was.,seen,'.in Chile and in the United there were elements opposed to letting him take of
States, as- the: sock of able,." principled democratic re- fice At various times some of those elements had
former who could erect a "firebreak" on the left and received CIA encouragement, butt. with . Mr. Frei
keep the radicals on: the other side. lending his prestige to a constitutional succession,
Founder of his country's. Christian Democratic Mr. Allende was seated. Within barely a year, Chile
Party, Mr.: Frei had' pronounced. himself "staggered was exploding into' class war. 1r1r. Frei ran for, the -f
by. the differences in economic strata" in Chile. He Senate in 1973 to continue the fight by parliamen
took officeyin 1964 with-the only absolute majority tary.means, but even he could not slow the disinte
any Chilean presidential 'candidate` has enjoyed.:'gration In September, the generals made a coup
Whether he knew of the secret funds that, it turned whose dark result`Mi Frei bravely' contested until
out later, the CIA put. into his campaign was never he died at age 70: in Santiago last:Friday. He was a
established. Whether he. needed such support was man- of true honor, -which is much more than can be
embiou In' any event,with- a good deal ofpublic : said for any of the people who have ruled Chile, and `:
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/21: CIA-RDP90-00552R000201850035-9