 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2009) |
René Schneider | |
|---|---|
| File:Rene Schneider4.jpg | |
| Born | December 31, 1913 |
| Died | October 25, 1970 (aged 56) |
General René Schneider Chereau (December 31, 1913 - October 25, 1970) was the commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army at the time of the 1970 Chilean presidential election, when he was assassinated during a botched kidnapping attempt. His murder virtually assured Salvador Allende's eventual overthrow and death in a coup three years later. He also coined the doctrine of military-political mutual exclusivity that became known as the Schneider Doctrine.
Background edit
He was born in Concepción, Chile, as a descendant of ethnic German immigrants, and joined the army in 1929. After a brilliant career, he was named Commander-in-Chief on October 27, 1969, by President Eduardo Frei Montalva, as a result the so called "Tacna agreement".
In 1970, the prospect of Salvador Allende winning the Chilean presidency was highly controversial, particularly within the Chilean military, because of his Marxist ideology. Schneider had expressed firm opposition to the idea of preventing Allende's inauguration by means of a coup d'état; as a constitutionalist, he wished to preserve the military's apolitical history.
Assassination edit
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After the 1970 Chilean presidential election, a plot to kidnap Schneider was developed. "Neutralizing" Schneider became a key prerequisite for a military coup; he opposed any intervention by the armed forces to block Allende's constitutional election.
It was Ambassador Korry who first pointed out on September 21, 1970 that to block Allende's ascension to the presidency, "General Schneider would have to be neutralized, by displacement if necessary." The commander in chief and his "Schneider Doctrine" of nonintervention in Chilean politics, constituted "the main barrier to all plans for the military to take over the government," according to CIA reporting. "What does Viaux plan to do to neutralize the Alto Mando [High Command]? What is to keep Schneider from making statement in early hours which will freeze those military leaders who might otherwise join Viaux?" CIA headquarters cabled the Station on October 13. In another cable, Broe and Phillips queried Hecksher on how to "remove" General Schneider: "anything we or Station can do to effect the removal of Schneider? We know this [is a] rhetorical question but want to inspire thought on both ends on this matter." [1]
Consequently, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) supplied a group of Chilean officers led by General Camilo Valenzuela with "sterile" weapons for the operation which was to be blamed on Allende supporters and prompt a military takeover.[2][3]
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First and second attempts edit
On October 16, 1970, based on an anonymous tip on Schneider's whereabouts, the first group attempted to kidnap him from his home. The tip turned out to be false as he had been on vacation since two days earlier and didn't return till the next day.
On the evening of October 19, 1970, a second group of coup-plotters loyal to General Roberto Viaux, equipped with tear gas grenades attempted to grab Schneider as he left an official dinner. The attempt failed because he left in a private car and not the expected official vehicle. The failure produced an extremely significant cable from CIA headquarters in Washington to the local station, asking for urgent action because "Headquarters must respond during morning 20 October to queries from high levels." Payments of $50,000 each to Viaux and his chief associate were then authorised on the condition that they made another attempt.
Final attempt edit
On October 22, 1970, the coup-plotters again attempted to kidnap Schneider. His official car was ambushed at a street intersection in the capital city of Santiago. Schneider drew a gun to defend himself, and was shot point-blank several times. He was rushed to a military hospital, but the wounds proved fatal and he died three days later, on October 25.
The attempt to kidnap him was because Schneider was the army Commander-in-Chief and considered a constitutionalist, which in practical terms meant that he would not support a coup. This incident and his death provoked national outrage, and caused the citizens and the military to rally behind the just-elected Allende, who was ratified by the Chilean Congress on October 24. It also helped to ensure an orderly transfer of power to Allende.
Military courts in Chile found that Schneider's death was caused by two military groups, one led by Viaux and the other by General Camilo Valenzuela. Viaux and Valenzuela were eventually convicted of charges of conspiring to cause a coup, and Viaux also was convicted of kidnapping. The lawsuit asserted that the CIA had aided both groups, but the charges were never satisfactorily proved, with the exception of the tens of thousands of dollars and also machine guns given to them by the CIA.
On October 26, 1970, President Eduardo Frei Montalva named General Carlos Prats as Commander-in-Chief to replace Schneider. Ironically this happened at the same time that $35,000 were given by the CIA to the kidnappers as "humanitarian" assistance.[4]
American involvement edit
A [CIA] "group was set up in Langley, Virginia, with the express purpose of running a "two track" policy for Chile: one the ostensible diplomatic one and the other - unknown to the State Department or the US ambassador to Chile, Edward Korry - a strategy of destabilisation, kidnap and assassination, designed to provoke a military coup."[5]
"On October 15, 1970, U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger was told of an extremist right-wing officer named Viaux, who had ties to Patria y Libertad Fatherland and Liberty, a quasi-fascist group intent on defying the election results) and who was willing to accept the secret US commission to remove Schneider...Kissinger's Track Two group authorised the supply of machine guns as well as tear gas grenades to Viaux's associates.[6]
The CIA in Santiago kept contact with two groups inside the military, and provided guns and money for kidnapping Schneider, but the fact that he was killed during the operation effectively put an end to any further direct attempts. It is unclear whether the U.S. State Department sanctioned CIA assistance to Viaux, as declassified documents show that Kissinger and U.S. President Richard Nixon had expressed intentions to withhold support over concerns that the coup would fail a week before it actually took place.
"In the October 15 memo, Kissinger and Thomas Karamessines developed last-minute second thoughts about Viaux, who as late as October 13 had been given $20,000 in cash from the CIA station and promised a life insurance policy of $250,000. This offer was authorised directly from the White House. However, with only days to go before Allende was inaugurated, and with Nixon repeating that it was "absolutely essential that the election of Allende to the Presidency be thwarted", the pressure on the plotters became intense. As a direct consequence, especially after the warm words of encouragement he had been given, Viaux felt himself under some obligation to deliver also, and to disprove those who had doubted him.[7][8]
Legal suits edit
On September 10, 2001 Schneider's family filed a suit against Kissinger, accusing him of collaborating with Viaux in arranging for Schneider's murder.[9] While declassified documents show the CIA, displeased with the communist victory, had explored the idea of supporting Viaux in a coup attempt, they also show that the agency decided on tracking down other members of the Chilean military, deciding that a Viaux coup would fail. On October 15, 1970 Kissinger allegedly told President Nixon that he had "turned off" plans to support Viaux, explaining that "Nothing could be worse than an abortive coup."[10] The US government claims they did not intend for Schneider to be murdered, only kidnapped. When Alexander Haig, Kissinger's aide was asked "is kidnapping not a crime?" he replied "that depends." The suit was overshadowed by the terrorist attacks that happened the following day.[11]
Footnotes and references edit
- ^ Kornbluh, Peter (2003). The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability. New York: The New Press. p. 22. ISBN 1-56584-936-1.
- ^ CIA, Cable Transmissions on Coup Plotting, October 18, 1970
- ^ See also Family jewels (CIA) documents released in 2007
- ^ CIA Activities in Chile https://www.cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/chile/index.html#15
- ^ Hitchens p.56
- ^ Hitchens p.59
- ^ Hitchens p.62
- ^ Why has he got away with it? - Edited extract from The Trial of Henry Kissinger, by Christopher Hitchens, in The Guardian
- ^ "Why the law wants a word with Kissinger - Sidney Magazine 2002". Smh.com.au. 2002-04-30. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ "Kissinger and Chile - Frontpage Magazine". Frontpagemag.com. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ The Trials of Henry Kissinger
- Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001. Verso.
External links edit
- Official biography (in Spanish)
- Charles Judson Harwood Jr., The murder of René Schneider
- First Coup Attempt
- Freedom of Information Page
- Christian C. Gustafson, Reexamining the Record: CIA Machinations in Chile in 1970
- Online News Hour Documents on Chile
