General Pinochet
McCain’s ‘secret’ meeting with Pinochet made public
Published 24 October, 2008, 21:01
U.S. presidential hopeful John McCain had a ‘friendly’ meeting with Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet in 1985, The Huffington Post writes. However, McCain, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee at the time, had no talks with the leaders of the democratic opposition in that country during the visit, unlike other U.S. diplomats.
The meeting had never been revealed, but according to the source, McCain, and his wife Cindy arrived on December 27 and went straight to the Puyehue area in southern Chile which is known as one of the country’s most beautiful tourist attractions. They stayed for three days, fishing and riding horses at a luxurious estate belonging to Marco Cariola, a Pinochet ally, who was later elected senator for the conservative UDI party.
It is reported that the visit was arranged by Chile's ambassador to the United States, Hernan Felipe Errazuriz. On December 30 McCain is said to have gone to Santiago where the actual meeting with the dictator took place.
The meeting is described as ‘friendly and at times warm’, according to a declassified U.S. Embassy cable The Huffington Post claims it secured. It is said the discussion was centred mostly around ‘the dangers of communism’, as Pinochet, described as obsessed with that fear, was saying he stood alone in his battle with the threat and was blaming the U.S. foreign policy for lack of support in his fight. The Chilean leader is also said to have mentioned that the danger of communist regime was defeated in his country.
However, the things the present Republican leader told Pinochet are not disclosed, despite reports the meeting was held on rather friendly terms. There is no information on whether issues such as democracy suppression or the human rights situation in Chile were raised.
The meeting took place when the Chilean military leader had been condemned by most of the world’s democratic leaders.The country’s democratic opposition was seeking support in their fight against the tyrannical regime. U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy arrived in Chile less that two weeks after the McCains' trip and publicly expressed his support for democracy and met with human rights activists and opposition leaders, which drew protests from Pinochet supporters. They blocked the road from the airport and Kennedy had to be taken to the city by helicopter.
Pinochet is known as a notorious tyrant and believed to be responsible for killing more than 3,000 people and jailing thousands more.
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