Chilean Emigration to the Unites States post Military coup of 1973

By Boris Martinez

The Chilean community in the United States is rarely spoken about because there are roughly 127,000 Chileans living in the states per the 2010 census (Chileusfoundation). Most Chileans reside here in NYC, roughly 21,000. The historical political relationship between the United States and Chile has affected the migration of Chileans to the United States as well as shaping the political culture in the country. Chile has been deemed to be an “oasis of stability” in Latin America over the last 30 years. As recent protests have demonstrated, this notion couldn’t be further from the truth. The focal objective of this research is to shed light on the Chilean culture, the diaspora in the United States, and the impact caused by U.S intervention and exploitation in the country.

Chile consists of 16 regions that range from the Atacama desert in the north all the way down to the Patagonia. Since its inception, Chilean culture and its population has been a mix of Spanish elements combined with the indigenous of the region, the Mapuches. Chileans compromise one of the fewest “Latin” communities in the United States resulting in a lack of exposure to the Chilean culture in the states. When it comes to cuisines, Chile is best known for its seafood dishes, empanadas, and of course, wine. In all of New York city, there are only two Chilean restaurants and they are both located in Queens. Personally, my grandparents and mother left Chile in 1988, shortly after the national plebiscite.

This timeline I have created illustrates important historical dates In recent Chilean history that exemplify the crucial and impactful role that the U.S has played in shaping the identity of Chile and the Chilean people. Salvador Allende ran on the platform of implementing major social reform and restructuring the country. The grassroots movements that catapulted Allende as the frontrunner for the 1970 election began years prior to his victory. Shortly after assuming the role of president, Allende nationalized copper, improved workers wages, implemented the redistribution of land that was owned by the elite families of Chile, reformed the education and health system to make it free for all, and many similar social reforms (Girard). The fact that a Marxist president was elected in the western hemisphere caused major concern up north. We have to put into perspective the time in which all of this was occurring, it was in the midst of the cold war and the battle for which form of government would prevail; capitalism or communism.

The United States could not take a risk of having a successful Marxist government in their sphere of influence. The As previously mentioned, the intelligence agencies alongside the President of the United States (Richard Nixon) intervened and backed the military coup in Chile on September 11, 1973. The military junta was led by General Augusto Pinochet. During the span of the Chilean dictatorship, an estimated 200,000 Chileans were forced into exile. In 1975 the United States accepted 1,000 political refugees (Binder). The majority of exiles went to Argentina, Peru, Canada, Spain, France and other European countries (Project). The interesting fact is that the majority of Chileans who migrated to the United States did so after 1990; the common destination was New York.

The current political climate in Chile is a direct result of the legislature that was passed by the dictatorship. Privatization of health, education, social security, and banking still remain today. The current administration has attempted to privatize water. The important thing to remember is that the United States for 16 ½ years showed their everlasting support to the repressive military regime in Chile. The protests have continued for two months and will continue until actual changes are implemented. The United States can no longer utilize the excuse that Chile is the most stable country in the region due to their sphere of economic influence.

Bibliography

Binder, David. "U.S. to Admit Hiindreds of Chilean Exiles." 14 June 1975. New York Times.

Burson, Phyllis J. everyculture. n.d. 5 December 2019.

Chileusfoundation. n.d. 30 November 2019.

Girard, Gabrielle. "Disillusionment in Action: The Origins and Outcomes of US Solidarity with Chilean Refugees." Ezra's Archives (2015): 26.

Melillo, Edward D. "Chilean Migration to USA since 1950." 14 October 2013. dissertationreviews.

Project, The Borger. "Ten Facts About Chilean Refugees Seeking Asylum." 11 November 2016. borgenproject.

State, U.S. Department of. U.S. Relations with Chile. 25 April 2019.