Everything about Eduardo Frei Montalva totally explained
Eduardo Nicanor Frei Montalva (
1911–
1982) was a
Chilean political figure and
president of Chile from
1964 to
1970. His eldest son,
Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, also became president of
Chile (
1994-
2000).
Early life
Eduardo Frei Montalva was born in
Santiago on
January 16,
1911, the son of Eduardo Frei Schlinz, a
Swiss-born ethnic
German from
Austria, and Victoria Montalva Martínez. He attended high school at the
Instituto de Humanidades Luis Campino and went on to study law at the
Universidad Católica de Chile, graduating as a lawyer in
1933. He married
María Ruiz-Tagle and had 5 children.
He began his political career in the
Conservative Party, but was among a group of young men who founded their own party in
1938: the
Falange Nacional. In
1957, the Falange became the
Christian Democratic Party of Chile, and he became the undisputed leader.
He was minister of Public Works in
1945, and
senator in
1949. He ran for president in
1958 before being elected in
1964. That year he was elected with his
“Revolución en Libertad” ("Revolution in Liberty") slogan by a large margin (56%), defeating
Socialist candidate
Salvador Allende who only received 39% of the vote, but who subsequently won the
1970 Chilean presidential election.
His campaign had been supported by the
CIA, who feared an Allende victory, with US$ 3 million, mostly used in the Chilean media.
Administration
Frei's administration began many reforms in Chilean society. "Promoción Popular" (Social Promotion), "Reforma Agraria" (Agrarian Reform), "Reforma Educacional" (Education Reform), and "Juntas de Vecinos" (Neighborhood Associations) were some of his main projects. He also took measures to
rationalise drug supply.
Furthermore, in 1966, the
Rapa Nui of
Easter Island gained full Chilean citizenship. The Easter Island had been annexed in 1888 by Chile. However, until 1953 the Island had been rented to the
Williamson-Balfour Company as a sheep-farm, while the surviving Rapanui were confined to the settlement of
Hanga Roa and the rest of the island managed by the
Chilean Navy, until its opening to the public in 1966.
Position on Pinochet
After
Allende's 1970 victory, Frei became convinced of what he called a "totalitarian project" to impose a Communist tyranny. His
Christian Democratic Party supported the Armed Forces intervention to remove
Allende from office in
1973, after the Chamber of Deputies on
August 22,
1973, accused Allende of violating the Constitution. In November 1974 Frei wrote a historic letter to Mariano Rumor, President of the International Christian Democrats, endorsing the Armed Forces intervention and denouncing what he alleged was an attempt by Allende to impose in Chile a Communist dictatorship.
Frei later became part of the opposition against the
Augusto Pinochet dictatorship.
Death
Frei died in Santiago, on
January 22,
1982, after receiving surgery for a stomach illness. His death was attributed to an infection,
septicaemia stemming from surgery. He is buried in the
Cementerio General de Santiago.
His death is a matter of controversy due to allegations that he was poisoned by the Pinochet regime, allegedly using a toxin produced by the
DINA biochemist
Eugenio Berrios. After Belgian researchers from the University of Ghent reportedly found
mustard gas in Frei's body, the former president's family filed a lawsuit, which is still pending as of
2007. Some commentators, notably conservative columnist Hermógenes Pérez de Arce, dispute the existence of the Belgian report, citing the denial by the University's chief of communications, Tom de Smedt, that an investigation had been done in that university .
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