CHILE: AS THE WEALTHY FEAR FOR THE FUTURE SALVADOR ALLENDE, ALMOST CERTAINLY THE NEXT PRESIDENT, STATES HIS LEFT-WING POLICIES.

Record ID: 1079406

  • Title: CHILE: AS THE WEALTHY FEAR FOR THE FUTURE SALVADOR ALLENDE, ALMOST CERTAINLY THE NEXT PRESIDENT, STATES HIS LEFT-WING POLICIES.
  • Date: 7th September 1970
  • Summary: 1. AERIAL VIEW Santiago 0.10 2. CU Placed TILT DOWN TO woman chanting 0.25 3. SV Allende seated 0.34 4. CU Allende speaking 1.20 5. SV,CU Allende listening 1.28 6. CU Allende speaking 2.14 TRANSCRIPT: REPORTER: "Assuming that your right-wing opponents can't stop you in Congress, do you think that they may try to do so by other means?". ALLENDE: "history shows that ultra reactionary groups do not give power away and that they fight to retain it. Certainly they will try to preventour accession, but they will not succeed. What means would they employ, what methods would they utilise? That depends on their irresponsibility of the degree of desperation in which they have fallen. But the majority of Chilean people know perfectly well that our purpose is to serve Chile and its people, and therefore the very small group whose interests will suffer must accept the overwhelming wish of the nation." REPORTER: "What is the attitude of the United States, which for the most part has been grimly non-committal, but whose strategy would be affected by your coming to power. As a first step are you likely to appropriate American investments, mostly in copper, that are worth more than 500 million dollars?" ALLENDE: "I think that the United States must respect the right of a country to develop its own economy according to its own requirements or wishes. Besides, there is a United Nations resolution that establishes very clearly the right to nationalise. We are not going to grab the American investments in Chile. We are going to expropriate them according to our laws, and we are going to pay the legitimate compensation. If this shouldn't be respected, then it would be an outrage, because it is internationally accepted and because we are a free country." Initials BB/JB/PMW/PS/1808 BB-JB/PMW/Mh/1830 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st September 1970 13:00
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  • Location: Santiago, CHILE
  • Country: Chile
  • Reuters ID: LVABBRTPWX2YZ9WMCLDV6DAC1GR5
  • Story Text:For over a month now Chile has been a land in ferment. Since Salvador allende won the Presidential Election on September 4, factions of the Chile nation have been very worried about the future. Since Mr. allende is a well known Socialist, following a Marxist line, the wealthy of Chile, in particular Santiago, are fearful for their money.

    Mr. Allende failed to get the necessary 50 percent of the votes for outright election, but it is virtually certain that he will become Chile's next President when the National Assembly chooses the President later this month.

    When the result of the ballot was announced there followed a rush to withdraw deposits from the banks when Mr. Allende inferred that he would nationalise them. The Chile Stock Exchange also slumped.

    Dr. Allende, however, said that the reaction of alarm in economic circles was in no way justified. He said the private sector of the economy would have an important role in all areas of future development in Chile. But he did ??? add that a small group of people, linked to monopolistic interests and large foreign investment interests, had understandable cause for worry.

    SYNOPSIS: Chile has been in ferment since the presidential elections a month ago. No candidate gained the required 50 per cent of the votes and the National assembly will now select the president from the two leading candidates. The new president is almost certain to be Senor Salvador Allende, a socialist. This has caused many people to demonstrate and take their money out of the banks.

    In this interview Senor Allende explained his views and some of the things he would do if he became President.....

    He said there was no justification for alarm on the stock exchange and the private sector of the economy would have an important role in future development. He was asked whether he thought right-wing opponents might try other methods if they could not stop him in congress. He said history showed reactionary groups did not give power away but fought to retain it. They would try to prevent his accession, he said, but they would not succeed.

    Questioned about United States investments in Chile, worth some 500 million dollars, Senor Allende said he would expropriate them. He said the United States must respect the right of a country to develop its won economy according to its own requirements. There was a United Nations resolution which clearly established the right to nationalise. He said Chile would expropriate American investment according to Chilean law, and would pay legitimate compensation. Mr. Allende said this move should be respected and if it was not it would be an outrage, because it was an internationally accepted move and Chile was a free country.
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