CHILE and Cuba: Pinochet, Allende and Castro

Christopher Jones explains the break between Allende and Pinochet: "I remember reading somewhere that the conversion of Pinochet occurred during Fidel Castro's visit to Chile. There are fairly numerous photographs of Castro and Pinochet side by side saluting. I wonder if they were suppressed after the coup? Another posting mentioned Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, who was commander of the "Escambray" front during the revolution. A non-communist like Hubert Matos, he was released from his life/commuted death sentence precisely because Adolfo Súárez and later Felipe González intervened with Castro because he was born in Spain. During his many years in jail, the prison guards beat him so badly that he lost an eye. Why he would return to Cuba is beyond me: a peaceful democratic transition with Fidel in power is impossible. Eloy will just get himself killed". RH: We shall see.

Ronald Hilton - 8/9/03