The Chris Hedges Report How America Left Their Own to Die in the '73 Chilean Coup (w/ John Dinges) | The Chris Hedges Report
Nov 6, 2025
John Dinges, a veteran investigative journalist and author specializing in Latin American history, joins to explore the 1973 Chilean coup. He discusses the political climate that drew idealistic activists to Chile, the reasons behind U.S. intervention, and how Allende's democratic efforts were sabotaged. Dinges recounts the tragic stories of American citizens Charles Horman and Frank Teruggi, highlighting allegations of U.S. complicity in their disappearances. He draws parallels between Chile's fate and current threats to democracy in the U.S.
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Allende's Chile As A Global Hope
- Chile under Allende combined democratic institutions with ambitious social and economic reform, inspiring international left-leaning activists.
- John Dinges and thousands saw Chile as a hopeful model of democratic socialism worth risking their lives for.
US Strategy To Undermine Allende
- The Nixon administration launched a sustained destabilization campaign against Allende combining propaganda and economic pressure.
- Kissinger's strategy aimed to make Allende's government fail so it couldn't be a democratic model for Latin America.
Economic Warfare As Political Tool
- The US used media financing, trade pressure, and international financial levers to strangle Chile's economy.
- Cutting off loans, blocking investment, and supporting strikes intentionally destabilized daily life and industry.
