The resolution also calls for the declassification of all U.S. documents related to the coup and its aftermath.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and several other U.S. lawmakers introduced a resolution on Thursday that formally commemorates the 50th anniversary of the deadly 1973 military coup in Chile and apologizes for the role the United States played in the toppling of the Latin American nation’s democratically elected government.
The resolution also calls for the declassification of all remaining U.S. documents related to the coup and the events preceding and following it.
“Let me be clear: we must stand up for democracy here in the United States and beyond,” Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement. “And that means we must also acknowledge that the United States has not always defended democracy abroad, and in fact, has sometimes done the opposite.”
“As we mark the 50th anniversary of the horrific coup in Chile, we must make clear that we regret our involvement and commit to supporting Chilean democracy,” he added. “To build the lasting partnerships we need in this hemisphere, we will need to establish a basis of trust and respect. Part of that process includes full accountability for the coup and its aftermath.”
The new resolution comes after Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) joined a group of U.S. lawmakers on a Latin America trip that included a stop in Chile, where the New York Democrat stressed the importance of declassifying the coup-related documents to shed more light on the Nixon administration’s role in the violent ouster of Salvador Allende on September 11, 1973.
You know I was going to say I don’t know if this would do any good, but the more I think about it I think it’s actually pretty crucial. Because we’re seeing a lot of weird talk about the Chilean fascist regime lately. I don’t know if you noticed this but it seems almost popular among certain right-wing extremist groups. Lord knows most people don’t know much about the Chilean coup. It’s a dark part of our history and maybe this would bring attention to it. Education is always best.
It should be tied to a full release of every government document related to the coup, and a one way ticket to Chile for Kissinger.
I’d argue it would help a lot if there was a similar apology for the 1953 Iranian coup. Good luck getting that through congress though… If the vote failed it would probably do more harm than good.