Lessons for Sri Lanka from Chile
Posted on May 7th, 2010
Ajit Randeniya
One of the more bizarre gestures of international relations came March 2 when Hillary Clinton was captured on photo, gifting a satellite phone to the out-going Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; the gesture was considered bizarre because the purpose of ClintonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s visit was to offer US condolences and material aid following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile on February 27, causing damage to the tune of around $30 billion.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those who closely follow the more devious elements of US foreign policy found the gesture involving the satellite phone to be more than the useless material aid it represented. The reason was that the first woman president of Chile, VerƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚³nica Michelle Bachelet who had displeased America was leaving office, and a known CIA agent Miguel Juan SebastiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¡n PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era (61) was about to take over as president: HilaryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s message to Bachelet was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”you shouldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ve calledƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Michelle Bachelet, a pediatrician and epidemiologist with studies in military strategyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚presided over her Socialist Party government of Chile that gave highest priority to providing social security and equality of opportunity for the poor. She led an independent regime that went against US dictates of looking after the wealthy at the cost of the poor.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Americans hate such independence, as Sri Lankans well know by monitoring and undermining their plots against our own President RajapakseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s standing.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Bachelet also hails from a family that was part of the 1970 anti-American regime of Salvador Allende that was violently overthrown by the CIA: Bachelet’s father was in charge of the Food Distribution Office of the government of Salvador Allende.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Augusto Pinochet came to power in the September 11, 1973 American backed coup, General Bachelet was detained under charges of treason. Following daily torture at Santiago’s Public Prison, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died six months later. Bachelet herself and her mother were also detained at the notorious Villa Grimaldi secret detention center in Santiago where they were separated and submitted to interrogation and torture.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ BacheletƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s socialist credentials are incredible: since becoming president in 2005, her government built 3,500 daycare centres for poorer children, introduced a universal minimum state pension and extended free health care to cover many serious conditions. Under a new housing policy aimed at abolishing the last remaining shanty towns in Chile by 2010, low cost housing was provided to the poor.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In August 2006 Bachelet promulgated a free trade agreement with the People’s Republic of China, the first Chinese free-trade agreement with a Latin American nation.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ During her first year in office, Bachelet faced continuing problems caused by the US puppet regime of NƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚©stor Kirchner in neighboring Argentina, who increased export tariffs of natural gas to Chile in violation of a tacit bilateral agreement. Argentina published some tourist maps featuring a part of the Pacific Ocean that Chile considers its sovereign territory.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ BacheletƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pro-poor domestic policies and independent foreign policy made her immensely popular in the country; by the end of her five year presidential term, Bachelet’s popularity reached 80% and approval rating 84%.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, Bachelet left office in March 2010 since the Chilean Constitution does not allow two consecutive terms as president. She was succeeded as president by her 2006 opponent, US backed billionaire businessman SebastiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¡n PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era of the right-wing National Renewal Party who won just 53.5% of the vote.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era fits the mold of US puppets to a tee: he grew up in New York City where his father was the Chilean ambassador to the United Nations; after graduating in economics in 1971 at the Catholic University of Chile, PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ a Fulbright scholarship for a doctorate in economics on “The Economics of Education in Developing Countries” at Harvard. He returned to Chile in 1976 for a career I academia which later took him to politics.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ According to Forbes magazine PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era built an estimated fortune of 1 billion USD through the introduction of credit cards to Chile in the late 1970s; he owns 100% of ChilevisiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚³n, a nationwide television channel; 27% of LAN Airlines, 13% of Colo-Colo football club; and holds significant stock positions in a number of large companies.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ PineraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s brother Jose Pinera works at the right wing ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”think tankƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ The Cato Institute in Washington DC and was responsible for promoting a plan of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”free market reformsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in Chile. He became Secretary of Labor and Social Security in the cabinet of the dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1978 and later, Secretary of Mining in1980.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Secret CIA documents obtained by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”El SigloƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ weekly newspaper in Chile revealed that Pinera’s father had collaborated with the spy agency since 1965, and his brother Jose was its direct collaborator and financial analyst. Other documents revealed Pinera’s own closeness to Pinoche dictatorship, and dealings that earned him his fortune; one particular document revealed details of a 1982 CIA operation ordered by the then US ambassador to Chile, to take Pinera out of the country when an arrest warrant was issued against PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era for violating the Banking Law during his time as general manager of the Bank of Talca.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In July 2007, PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era was fined approximately 680,000 USD by Chile’s securities regulator for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”insider tradingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of LAN Airlines stock in mid-2006. PiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚±era denied any wrongdoing but resigned from the board of LAN to realise his intention to run for president in 2009. But Hillary Clinton can boast now because they have their agent in power in Chile
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ AmericaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”problemƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in Chile since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship till the 2010 election of Pinera was almost identical to the problem they face in Sri Lanka: a progressive, independent minded president backed to the tilt by the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s population.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The difference however, was that in Sri Lanka they failed in their regime change attempt through a Sri Lankan Pinera in Sarath Fonseka due to the political awareness of the Sri Lankan people.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Sri Lankan nation cannot afford to rest!
May 8th, 2010 at 2:32 am
I wish to add the following to Mr Randeniya’s letter.
The President Salvador Allende was democratically elected by the people of Chile. Salvador Allende and his family was murdered by Pinochet with the support of CIA, because he nationalised the copper mines which gave USA an enormous income, while Chileans were very poor. The Military lead by General Pinochet attacked the presidential palace, moving forward with the large crowd of middle class protesters, that was initiated by few Chilean traitors who were paid by the US. After few years when the same middle class demonstrated against Pinochet, he got rid of them(genocide). England vetoed the UN move to investigate into Pinochet’s crimes. Our people should be made aware of these incidents and make sure similar things will not occur in our country.
May 8th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Very useful information indeed!
May 8th, 2010 at 3:57 am
Ajit, please answer this question if you can. I follow Argentina indeed. But surely this Kirchner regime is icy with USA as Nestor Kirchner and his wife Cristina the current president are very warm with Venezuela’s Chavez! So no way are the Kirchner’s pro USA! The issue of gas supply is more due to Argentina’s economic recovery meaning they needed more gas meaning supplies to Chile got affected right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Argentine_energy_crisis
We must admire Bachelet for not taking a confrontational approach. She met our Honorary president Mahinda in 2008 in China at an international forum as below.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/093CaFl5dk1Sy
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0bfK2dH8W0f31
May 8th, 2010 at 5:37 am
Ajit, please answer this question if you can. I follow Argentina indeed. But surely this Kirchner regime is icy with USA as Nestor Kirchner and his wife Cristina the current president are very warm with Venezuela’s Chavez! So no way are the Kirchner’s pro USA! The issue of gas supply is more due to Argentina’s economic recovery meaning they needed more gas meaning supplies to Chile got affected right?
We must admire Bachelet for not taking a confrontational approach. She met our Honorary president Mahinda in 2008 in China at an international forum as below.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/093CaFl5dk1Sy
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0bfK2dH8W0f31
May 8th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
See Our Mahinda Rajapaksa with Michelle Bachelet
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0bfK2dH8W0f31
http://www.daylife.com/photo/093CaFl5dk1Sy
May 8th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Weeraya,
I agree that currently Nestor Kirchner is being accepted in the region. Infact he was appointed Chair of the regional Latin American organisation (whatever its acronym is), proposed by Lula de Silva of brazil who is one of the great developing world leaders, with Chaves’s agreement. So I agree.
But Kirchner was brought to power by the Americans and he comes from the group of Jewish moneybags who control the financial sector in Argentina. May be the region now wants to use his contacts with Wall Street.
He certainly caused problems to Bachelet as US proxy.
I am glad President Rajapakse struck a cord with her.
Ajit
May 10th, 2010 at 3:49 am
Interesting what you say Ajit! No where have I seen any source telling that Kirchner meaning Nestor or his wife Cristina are aligned to USA! You might want to see this Ajit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Argentina#Kirchner_Presidency
Yes Kirchner is to head the UNASUR block the Union of South American nations
May 10th, 2010 at 6:46 am
Weeraya
As you know, U.S.-Argentine relations are very much like all US-Latin American relationships, a master-servant relationship. Kirchner’s US links are also secret and only analysis of what they ‘do’ reveal the links.
Argentina’s darkest period (apart from Juan Peron ‘s exile years) was the war years with Britain 1976-1983. The military government was basically sabotaged from within (by Peronese like Kirchner who wanted to topple the military govt despite the national damage) and they returned to ‘democracy’ in 1983, with the election of a US puppet government.
Things went well with the second regime of Carlos Menem (he was a free marketeer llike JRJ, but a bit more patriotic) as long as he kept opening up the country for trade. But then he went to gain something for his own country by doing things like pegging the Peso to the US dollar, making the US unhappy.
Lo and behold, Argentina faced a ‘financial crisis’ in 2001-2002. The IMF stepped in and told him what to do and he refused. Ultimately the IMF brought him down by declining further financial support in December 2001, because Argentina could not produce a balanced budget.
It was the classic ‘three card trick’. Kirchner was little-known even domestically before his election, which he won by default with only 22.24 percent of the vote because after the first round Carlos Menem (24.45%) withdrew from the race. So Kirchner was brought into office on the back of an IMF created economic crisis.
Mysteriously, the Argentine economy, achieved economic growth rates of 8-9% in 2003-06, unemployment decreased from a high of 24% in 2002 to about 11% in early 2006. (These are only statistics they produce to weaken or support governments!). The IMF got Kirchner to ‘restructure’ more than $100 billion worth of bond debt Menem had defaulted. The IMF got 37 cents in the dollar (not bad compared to nothing).
But the people went against his government and the Jews in general. The 2003 bombing of the Friendship centre was a big hit. Kirchner tried to pin it on Iranian ambassador and later Hezabollah, but all the fake evidence came unstuck and an independent American expert proved that the explosives had been placed ‘inside’ the building by a (local) person with access. He was kicked out and then his wife got in similarly.
He is a cunning agent, but is deeply connected to Wall Street and US Zionist lobby. Wikipedia does not usually record the detail!
Ajit
May 12th, 2010 at 2:38 am
Sorry for the late reply Ajit, thanks a lot for your explanation! So that means this Kirchner couple has taken Venezuelan leader Chavez for a real ride? I have seen many pictures of how warm is Chavez with Mr and Mrs Kirchner! I anyway prefer Lula of Brazil and Correa of Ecuador more than Chavez. Chavez’s economic management is not very good.
May 27th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Weeraya
There are number of posibilities.
Chavez may be going by Lula’s advice that Kirchners are OK to be ‘used’. The purpose behind the regional organisation is to manage trade relations with the US and Kirchner will be subject to supervision by others anyway.
Chavez is also in an economically tight spot at the moment (he didn’t attend the G15 in Iran either) and probably is vary of getting in to quarrels at this moment.
Lula is definitely a world leader and the elder statesman. People talk about China and India as the future economic giant, but Brazil is as much inthe picture as any.
But be assured, Kirchner is very much in America’s pocket.
Ajit
May 28th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Thanks a lot Ajit! Much appreciated. Lets see what happens in Venezuela over the next few months. Inflation in Venezuela is 30%, which is worrying!