Eduardo Frei Montalva
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| Eduardo Frei Montalva | |
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| In office November 3, 1964 – November 3, 1970 |
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| Preceded by | Jorge Alessandri |
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| Succeeded by | Salvador Allende |
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| Born | January 16, 1911 Santiago, Chile |
| Died | January 22, 1982 Santiago, Chile |
| Political party | Christian Democrat |
| Spouse | María Ruiz-Tagle Jiménez |
Eduardo Nicanor Frei Montalva (1911–1982) was a Chilean political figure and president of Chile from 1964 to 1970.
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[edit] Early life
Eduardo Frei was born in Santiago on January 16, 1911, the son of Eduardo Frei Schlinz, an Swiss born-German ethnic from Austria and Victoria Montalva Martínez. He studied his high school at the Instituto de Humanidades Luis Campino and attended law school 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.
[edit] Administration
During the 1964 election, the CIA, fearing an Allende victory, moved to intervene in Chile's domestic affairs with the designation of US$3 million to be used in support of Frei's candidacy, mostly through means of planting anti-leftist political propaganda in the Chilean media. [1]
During Frei's administration many reforms were made 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.
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 1973 Frei wrote a historic letter to Mariano Rumor, President of the International Christian Democrats, endorsing the Armed Forces intervention and denouncing the attempt by Allende to impose in Chile a Communist dictatorship.
Frei later became part of the opposition against the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship.
[edit] 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. As of 2007, his death is being investigated because of allegations by his family that he was poisoned by Pinochet's DINA. After Belgian researchers found mustard gas in Montalva's body, the former president's family filed a lawsuit.[2]
Frei's eldest son, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, became president of Chile from 1994 to 2000.
[edit] Additional information
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Biography (Spanish)
- Chile 1964: CIA covert support in FREI election
- Steve Anderson Body of Chile's Former President Frei May Be Exumed, The Santiago Times, April 5, 2005
- Genealogical chart of Family Frei-Montalva
| Preceded by Jorge Alessandri |
President of Chile 1964 - 1970 |
Succeeded by Salvador Allende |
| Presidents of Chile |  |
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| Blanco Encalada | Freire | Pinto Díaz | Prieto | Bulnes | Montt Torres | Pérez | Errázuriz Zañartu | Pinto Garmendia | Santa María | Balmaceda | Montt Álvarez | Errázuriz Echaurren | Riesco | Montt Montt | Barros Luco | Sanfuentes | Alessandri Palma | Figueroa | Ibáñez del Campo | Montero | Aguirre Cerda | Ríos | González Videla | Alessandri Rodríguez | Frei Montalva | Allende | Pinochet | Aylwin | Frei Ruiz-Tagle | Lagos | Bachelet | ||||
