CIA Machinations in Chile in 1970 | Page 8

to be carried out that day, and that it would be initiated by "something big" that would take place in the early morning hours. The cable continued by speculating, after the fact, that "the assassination attempt on General Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of the Army . . . was very likely the 'something big' which the plotters hoped to use to initiate their coup efforts." [73]
The uncertainty of the CIA can be ascribed both to lack of contact with Viaux and a reduction in intelligence-gathering assets. The CIA had started to pull out its false-flag officers from Chile a week before Schneider's death, a move one would think unlikely if the Agency was aware of a specific coup attempt. A memo dated 19 October 1970 states: "[Co-optee] not at all sanguine re chances perventing (sic) Allende from taking office and stressed fact that abortive coup now could spell end to any chance of success in future . . . [CIA agent] has done his work well and there are no further tasks for the false-flaggers at this time he will be instructed depart Santiago [del] October . . ." [74] Moreover, as of 21 October, the COS in Santiago was developing post-inauguration asset-management plans. [75]
The record shows that the kidnapping took the station by surprise and that the CIA did not have absolute knowledge of Schneider's attackers. A cable, written on 3 November 1970, discussed a review of the kidnapping attempt by the COS in Santiago, which stated that a particular Chilean contact "confirmed neither he nor [name sec del] involved in Schneider assassination." [76] If the CIA station was still discussing who may or may not have been involved in the attack, and was seeking confirmation from its Chilean contacts, that indicates they did not have firm knowledge to begin with. If they had planned the attack, as some accounts maintain, would they not have known who executed the plan? Another cable discusses their lack of knowledge:
Station unaware if assassination was premeditated or whether it constituted bungled abduction attempt . . . We know that Gen. Valenzuela was involved [sec del] we have reason for believing that Gen Viaux and numerous associates fully clued in, but cannot prove or disprove that execution of attempt against Schneider was entrusted to elements linked with Viaux. Important factor to bear in mind is that Armed Forces, and not retired officers or extreme rightists, set Schneider up for execution or abduction . . . Before trying to anticipate further course of events station would like to await events of 23rd Oct. which will obviously be decisive. [77]
Uncertain who had carried out the attack, the CIA worried that the weapons it had provided to Valenzuela's group might have been responsible for Schneider's death. Were the American weapons in fact used in the kidnapping attempt that turned into murder? The answer appears to be no. One CIA cable from Chile, sent on 29 October, hints at the confusion in Santiago in the aftermath of the assassination, and the trouble it caused station officers in determining what was going on. The message says that marshal law made their work difficult, but that on 28 October, they were "able to make first contact with [name deleted] . . . [deletion] stated that when first heard of Schneider's assassination on radio he was quite upset but has since been informed by [name deleted] that three machine guns and ammunition are still in [name deleted]'s home and never given to anybody. . . . Also [name deleted] still has three tear-gas canisters and three masks." [78]
A CIA review of its own actions, undertaken in 1973, states that "three submachine-guns were provided to three military officers who planned to use them in instigating an uprising by the Armed Forces. This program was conducted at the request of President Nixon with the understanding that it was not to become known to the State Department or other members of the 40 Committee." [79] This is all true, but were the weapons given purposefully to assassinate Schneider? The CIA and the White House did not want Schneider assassinated. Documents from early October reveal that Washington understood that his death would benefit Allende more than it would his opposition by rallying "the army fully behind the flag of constitutionalism." [80] They trusted Valenzuela to carry out a kidnapping, but not Viaux, and to the last minute they attempted to keep Viaux from moving on his own. [81] The CIA and Washington specifically did not want their weapons in the hands of the unstable and dangerous Viaux. Indeed, one message directly discounts Viaux's exhortations that his group "did not like killing." [82]
Did Kissinger actually order an end to contact with Viaux? The evidence shows that he ordered Viaux to stand down at least over the short term.