Military Spokesman for “Democracy”
In Chile Air Force General Leigh became a military spokesman for "democracy" after having been the most outspoken member of the junta for fascist policies and groups. The Christian Democrats, led by ex-President Frei, also rediscovered the virtues of "democracy" after having plotted for and welcomed General Pinochet’s military coup and regime. In a blog of political reflections Eduardo Frei made it clear, however, that a return to the sort of democracy that existed before the coup — even during his own presidency — is out of the question and that much more authoritarianism is the order of the day. The Chilean economic program of Frei and his political and economic allies (which include U.S capital and the U.S. government) proposed that the recently neglected industrial bourgeoisie should be given more participation and a greater share of the profits — as part of essentially the same export-oriented economic model that the junta has imposed. Even the economic program of the Popular Unity parties, which had formed the Allende government that Pinochet so brutally overthrew, reserves a most important place for new exports and foreign investment in the Chilean economy. The Popular Unity and Christian Democratic economic programs for a future Chile under their hoped-for rule (jointly or separately) are remarkably similar in most respects; although the Christian Democratic program appears more restrictive with regard to foreign investment than the Communist-Socialist Popular Unity program!. The Popular Unity parties, of course, do not have much hope for significant participation in any foreseeable future government in Chile. What can be expected from a military-civilian coalition government with Christian Democratic or even some Popular Unity participation? Only maintenance of the same export-promoting economic model with some cosmetic improvements and/or modifications to widen its foreign and domestic economic and political support. And although the population would suffer less political repression, its economic fortunes would not improve much.
