Chile–Cuba relations

Chile–Cuba relations

Chile	Cuba

Chile–Cuba relations refers to interstate relations between the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Cuba. Cuba has been since the 1960s been a reference point to left wing politicians in Chile. during the government of Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010) relations to Cuba was a hot subject among Concertación politics since the Christian Democrat Party of Chile, member of the Concertación, has supported a harder line in the diplomatic relations with Cuba while the Socialist Party of Chile opposed this.^{[citation needed]}

History

Chile, together with Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia and Ecuador, was opposed to sanctions imposed on Cuba by the United States during the 1962 OAS meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay.^[1]

In 1971 Chile re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba, joining Mexico and Canada in rejecting a previously-established Organization of American States convention prohibiting governments in the Western Hemisphere from establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba. Shortly afterward, Cuban president Fidel Castro made a month-long visit to Chile.^[2][3][4] With Salvador Allende he visited the recently nationalized El Teniente copper mine.^[5] The trip was seen by those on the political right as proof to support their view that the Chilean path to Socialism was an effort to put Chile on the same path as Cuba.^{[citation needed]}

During Pinochet's military dictatorship in Chile (1973–1990) Cuba provided training and arms for Chilean leftist set up an armed resistance. Chilean Revolutionary Left Movement drew inspiration from the Cuban Revolution and the Sierra Maestra in trying to set up a guerrilla in Neltume, which was obliterated in 1981. After that the Cuban-inspired rural warfare proved to be a failure, Cuba continued to support urban guerrillas such as FPMR. One of the largest smuggling of Cuban arms occurred in Carrizal Bajo, these arms where later used by FPMR to perform an assessination attempt against Pinochet in 1986.

In 2009 Chilean President Michelle Bachelet visited Cuba, making her the first Chilean leader to visit the island nation since Salvador Allende's 1972 trip.^[3]

Chilean ambassadors to Cuba

• Jorge Manuel Toha (2006)^[6]

See also

• Foreign relations of Chile
• Foreign relations of Cuba

References

1. ^ "U.S. is Advancing Plan to Suspend Cuba from O.A.S.". New York Times. January 24, 1962. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B13FF3E551A7B93C6AB178AD85F468685F9. Retrieved 2009-06-23. "The United States fought for votes today on a new formula for the Cuban problem that would suspend Premier Fidel Castro's regime from membership in the Organization of American States." 
2. ^ "Chile Expects Castro Visit". New York Times. January 26, 1971. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00E13FF3A55127B93C4AB178AD85F458785F9. Retrieved 2009-06-23. "Premier Fidel Castro of Cuba will visit Chile this year, according to El Siglo, the newspaper of the Chilean Communist party." 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Chile's President Visits Cuba". Voice of America. http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2009-02/2009-02-10-voa32.cfm?CFID=235671083&CFTOKEN=33357807&jsessionid=8430fb1cad491072c1e3542c80193058166d. Retrieved 2009-06-23. "Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is due to arrive in Cuba Tuesday, making her the first Chilean leader to visit the island nation since 1972." 
4. ^ De Onis, Juan (December 2, 1971). "Marchers Assail Castro's Visit and Food Shortages". New York Times. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00D1EFF3D5A137A93C0A91789D95F458785F9. Retrieved 2009-06-23. "Policemen fired dozens of tear-gas grenades yesterday to halt a march by at least 5,000 women on the presidential palace in protest against food shortages and the Chilean visit of Premier Fidel Castro of Cuba." 
5. ^ "Castro Pitches Into Work At a Chilean Copper Mine". Associated Press in New York Times. November 25, 1971. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70F16F63D591A7493C7AB178AD95F458785F9. Retrieved 2009-06-23. "Premier Fidel Castro of Cuba went to work today on the production line at the huge El Teniente copper mine, where the Chilean Government recently nationalized millions of dollars of private United States investment." 
6. ^ Gjelten, Tom (September 15, 2006). "Cuba's Castro an Inspiration, Not a Role Model". National Public Radio. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6083227. Retrieved 2009-06-23. "'I don't think there was a single young person across Latin America who did not feel sympathy for what was happening here, or who did not see this as an interesting and unusual process,' says Jorge Manuel Toha, Chile's current ambassador to Cuba, who was 21 years old at the time Castro came to power."