III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 20 

Recognizing the decades-long effort of pro-democracy forces in Chile to end 

the dictatorship and restore civilian governance in the country. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 

Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. KAINE, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. MERKLEY, and Mr. 

CARDIN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the decades-long effort of pro-democracy forces 

in Chile to end the dictatorship and restore civilian governance in the country. 

Whereas nations around the world are confronting the challenge of strengthening the institutions of democracy 

against the dire threat of authoritarianism; 

Whereas Chile is a strategic partner of the United States, 

and the bilateral relationship, which includes cooperation 

on economic, environmental, defense, and human rights 

issues, is predicated on a shared commitment to democratic values, including absolute respect for free and fair 

elections; 

Whereas Chile is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 

bloody military coup d’e ́tat of September 11, 1973; 


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•SCON 20 IS 

Whereas, as part of that commemoration, the Congress of 

Chile has overwhelmingly passed a resolution requesting 

the declassification of United States records related to 

the coup and its aftermath; 

Whereas, after the democratic election of the Popular Unity 

Party candidate, Salvador Allende, in September 1970, 

according to reports in 1975 by the United States Senate 

Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations 

with Respect to Intelligence Activities, President Richard 

Nixon ordered the Central Intelligence Agency to ‘‘make 

the economy scream’’ and covertly block the inauguration 

of Allende through instigation of a military coup, an operation that led to the assassination of the pro-constitution commander in chief of the army of Chile, General 

Rene ́ Schneider, in a failed kidnapping attempt supported 

by the Central Intelligence Agency; 

Whereas, under the supervision of then-national security adviser Henry Kissinger, the Central Intelligence Agency 

continued its efforts to foster a ‘‘coup climate’’ in Chile 

and, in Kissinger’s own words to Nixon, ‘‘created the 

conditions as great as possible’’ for the military takeover; 

Whereas the United States provided active support, including 

assistance from the Central Intelligence Agency, for the 

creation of the repressive intelligence directorate of Chile; 

Whereas then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told coup 

leader General Augusto Pinochet in a private meeting, 

‘‘We want to help, not undermine you. You did a great 

service to the West in overthrowing Allende.’’; 

Whereas the rampant human rights violations committed by 

the military regime of Pinochet led to an estimated 

40,000 people tortured and more than 3,000 killed, inVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:54 Sep 22, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SC20.IS SC20

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•SCON 20 IS 

cluding the murder of United States citizens in Chile and 

targeted assassinations of political opponents in the 

United States; and 

Whereas the United States Congress played a critical role in 

bringing to light the atrocities committed by the Pinochet 

regime against the Chilean people, and growing congressional awareness of the role of the United States in the 

1973 coup and ongoing United States support for the 

Pinochet regime led to the creation in 1977 of what is 

now the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and 

Labor of the Department of State, charged with the mission of ensuring the centrality of human rights in United 

States foreign policy: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes the decades-long effort of the 

4 pro-democracy forces of Chile that, with support 

5 from human rights movements in the United States 

6 and around the world, ended the dictatorship and re7 stored civilian governance in Chile; 

8 (2) applauds the Chilean people for rebuilding 

9 a strong and resilient democracy against the forces 

10 of authoritarianism; 

11 (3) expresses profound regret for the United 

12 States contribution to destabilizing Chile’s political 

13 institutions and constitutional processes and for 

14 United States assistance in the consolidation of the 

15 repressive military dictatorship of General Pinochet, 


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•SCON 20 IS 

1 and believes that full accountability requires a full 

2 accounting in the form of disclosure and declassifica3 tion of remaining United States records relating to 

4 events leading up to, during, and after the military 

5 coup of 50 years ago; 

6 (4) will continue to engage with the Chilean 

7 people to participate in truth and reconciliation ef8 forts and continue the shared bilateral commitment 

9 to strengthen democratic government institutions 

10 confronted with the current and ever-changing 

11 threats against democracy around the world; and 

12 (5) emphasizes that support for human rights is 

13 and should remain a key pillar of United States for14 eign policy everywhere in the world. 

Æ 


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