Reagan and Pinochet’s Chile

Abstract

This chapter looks into Chilean records of the evolution of the US policy in Chile. These records reflected the Reagan administration's ideology, national security goals, and political realities in Chile and Latin America. The US–Chilean relations were defined mostly by disillusion due to Chile's frustration with the Reagan administration's failure to overcome domestic political opposition. Additionally, the chapter notes the frustration of the United States with Augusto Pinochet's failure to curtail the regime's repression of political opponents and oversee the transition to civilian democracy. The Reagan administration learned that a policy of promoting democratic liberalization could be wielded to achieve specific objectives vis-à-vis allies.