Although the citizens were allowed to vote, candidates for liberal parties were kidnapped and murdered by government forces. So we can see that governments who favor the United States receive funding, positive press for themselves and negative press for their enemies. Governments who hinder the United States are subject to terror, death, starvation, positive press for their enemies and negative press for themselves. Many people are shocked by the recent findings of the CIA-drug connection. The rest of us have known about it for years.
National interest means economic interest.
I'll only mention it briefly here but for more, read the excellent article by Mariza Cabral in the Oct. 24 Daily Bruin. The essential story is that President Ford went to Indonesia, who was planning to invade East Timor, and assured its leader General Suharto that there would be no cuts in the shipments of arms to Indonesia if any military campaigns should be begun. Indonesia invaded East Timor and, during the invasion, arms shipments by the United States actually doubled. This intense global manipulation began in 1947 after the signing of the National Security Act, which created the CIA and the National Security Council. Eventually, the Shah was deposed and replaced by the Ayatollah Khomeini.