The presidential election of Chile of 1970 took place on September 4th, 1970, and the winner, by the relative majority was Salvador Allende. The October 24th of the same year, it was elected president by the Pleno Congress, as it is stipulated in the Constitution of 1925.

The presidential election of 1970 was played between three parties, representatives what is called the three thirds of the policy Chilean, right, center and left.

Elections

Candidates

Left

The left had been linked under the name of Unidad Popular, which joined together old FRAP (Frente de Acción Popular) of the Socialists and the Communists, plus Partido Radical, the MAPU and the API (Acción Popular Independiente). Each one of these parties had its pre-candidate, Salvador Allende for el PS, the poête Pablo Neruda for the PC, Jacques Chonchol for the MAPU, Alberto Baltra for PR there Rafael Tarud for API el.

For Salvador Allende, who was going to become the final candidate, it was not difficult to obtain the nomination like candidate of Unidad Popular in spite of these three former defeats in 1952, 1958 there 1964, and the fact that much inside its party did not believe in the possibility of a peaceful way towards socialism.

It however succeeds in being essential on the others précandidats of its party (even if, at the Central committee, there be less votes in its favor than of abstentions), by raking ways in all the tendencies. Then, thanks to the support of the Communist party (Neruda did not have any intention to be a president), it succeeds in being designated candidate of UP.

Allende saw himself obliged has to sign a pact of government, according to which, if he were elected, the administration of the Chile would be shared between itself and the parties of UP, represented by a committee, which would comprise a representative of each group. This implied the renouncement of some of the prerogatives of the president of the republic, because this one could not act without the agreement of the committee and this last functioned unanimously.

Line

Line represented by the Partido Nacional, presented that which appeared to be a guarantee of success, the former president Jorge Alessandri. Even if its aviat presidency strewn with difficulties, its popularity were much higher than that of the other applicants. Much regarded it as winner since the beginning, in fact, the first surveys gave him the absolute majority.

The the United States which had supported very firmly the candidature of Eduardo Frei Montalva in 1964, invested much less money in the countryside of Alessandri, whom he saw already victorious. 350.000 dollars suelement were sent via the company ITT for the candidature of Alessandri.

The center

The Christian Democrat ( cd. ) presented Radomiro Tomic, candidate who moved away from the center line preached by Frei Montalva, being on the left, thinking even, at one moment, an alliance with the UP, which was not concretized. Frei actively did not support Tomic, which he did not believe able to continue his work, but its support did not refuse to him not to break a friendship of a whole life and to make face with Allende.

The proximity with the UP resulted in a secret pact, according to which one recognizes the victory of the adversary if this one carried it by more than 5000 votes in the majority relative. It is recognized, on the other hand, the victory of Alessandri that if are advance exceeded the 100.000 votes. The orientation of the Christian Democrat towards the left made him lose many voters of the center and center right, which had given him the victory in 1964.

Countryside

The countryside was tended without there being acts of violence. The candidates of the UP and cd. organized gathering of several thousands of people, on the other hand the advisers of Alessandri éviterent the large gatherings to him, which they regarded as harmful being given these 74 years. Cepandant, it made some rounds limited through the Chile. Its single great meeting took place at the end of the campaign and was boycotted by Chilean National television TVN which presented it like a failure.

Alessandri, although being in good health, considering its image tarnished by a film carried out by its team where one saw one with his hands agitated of tremors, this film was used against him by its adversaries. The right parties also attacked their adversaries announcing the danger which would constitute what they regarded as a Leninist Marxist dictatorship, which would destroy the bases of the company, also aiming the Christian Democrat which was shown so much open to the left-wing ideas.

As a good part of the team of Alessandri was sure of a victory, at least in the majority relative, they irritated when in an interview, a journalist of El Mercurio request with the Commander-in-chief of the Army Rene Schneider which would be the attitude of the army if none of the two candidates obtained the absolute majority, it with what he answered that the congress pleno should decide as he is established in the constitution and than the army would conform totalment to the postulates of the fundamental charter (that would be the base of the Schneider doctrines). The partisans of Alessandri irritated themselves because the tradition wanted that which obtains the relative majority is elected president.

Environment remained very politicized because the oppositions were very marked. Allende proposed a peaceful transition towards socialism, “the Chilean way towards socialism, with a taste of empanadas and red wine” , which rested on the nationalization of the copper and the key companies of the country, the creation of a “popular capacity” , the toughening of the land reform, an anti-impérialiste international policy and series of measure which led to the transition from capitalism to socialism.

Tomic had a plan similar, but based on a Christian humanism, in opposition to atheism Marxist-Leninist. On the delicate subject of copper, he proposed a concerted nationalization conforms to that projected at the end of the government of Frei, leaving side the chilenisation (51% of copper to the hand of the state) without drawing aside a more traditional nationalization (51% of copper to the hand of the state).

Alessandri on the other hand prométait with her voters the return to the liberal economic system practiced during her six years of government, the re-establishment of the order, in addition to one flashback on the topics such as the Land reform, the university Réforme.

Results

The September 4th take place the presidential election, in an atmosphere of calm and order, and after midnight one knew the result of the poll: Allende: 36,3% Alessandri: 34,9% Tomic: 27,8% . The insurance of the allessandrists was transformed into fear of a Socialist government while the allendists and even some Christian-Democrats went down in the street to express their joy.

Allende made its first speech as a president elected in Alameda, where it was acceuilli by ovations of his partisans. The next morning Tomic recognized as elected president, thus applying the pact which they had secretly concluded.

source: Newspaper El Mercurio, 5 of September 1970

Election Of the full Congress

The advertisement of the victory of Allende made the despair of some. Certain people who feared that the new mode closes the borders and seizes their richnesses, hid their good and fled of the country. However Sin embargo algunos hablaban of una formed evitar that Allende will llegara has Moneda, been able faltaba that el Congreso will dirimiera between mow back más altas mayorías el día 24 of octubre.

No eran los únicos that pensaban in esa opción. In Washington D.C, el president Richard Nixon ordenó evitar por cualquier medio that Allende will asumiera the presidencia. the CIA organizó two plans for detener the elección of Allende in el Congreso Pleno, los that serían conocidos como Track One there Track Two . El Track One consistía in el Congreso eligiese has Alessandri; éste renunciaría llamaría has nuevas elecciones there in the derecha apoyaría has Eduardo Frei. Plane El be conocido también como “gambito Frei”. Plane El, sin embargo, No funcionó. Cd. the UP llegaron has there a entendimiento trass el triunfo of Allende, there reveló the existencia of a pacto secreto between los back candidatos. Finalmente cd. exigió para known apoyo in el Congreso una reformed constitucional, el Estatuto de Garantías Constitucionales, that aseguraría that Allende No saldría of the constitución.

Assassination of Schneider

The Track One having failed because of the pact, remained the Track Two . This last must set up a climate of political instability, so that the armed forces intervene and annullen the election. Encargó known general ejecución Al Roberto Viaux, cuyo plane will era secuestrar Al Ordering in Jefe del Ejército, the general Rene Schneider, ocultarlo there provocar the situación of inestabilidad which has to intervene has tired fuerzas armadas there evitar will obligara the asunción of Allende. El 22 of octubre ejecutó el plane, pero, Al intentar defenderse, el ordering in jefe fue baleado por known asaltantes, quienes huyeron Al urgent. its driver takes it along to the military hospital where, he dies the October 25th.

Vote Congress

The October 24th, at 10 a.m. thirty-nine minutes, began the vote of the congress, directed by the présidentdu senate Tomás Pablo. 195 parlamentaires voterent.

At the end of the examination, the secretary of the assembly Pelagio Figueroa announced with the microphone: Salvador Allende Gossens, 153 votes; Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez, 35 votes; , votes white. The socialist deputy Mario Palestro answered this advertisement shout of it Viva Chile, mierda

Tomás Pablo concluded the meeting while declaring: In agreement with articles 64 there 65 of the Constitution Congreso Pleno proclamele citizen Salvador Allende Gossens, President of the Republic of Chile for the duration ranging between on November 3rd, 1970 and on November 3rd, 1976, the meeting is raised .

Results

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