Sydney, 9 November 2021
Senator The Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Minister Payne,
Second Open letter to the Australian Federal Government on Australia’s involvement in the overthrow of
democratically elected President Salvador Allende
On 17 September 2021 we wrote to you regarding the publication by the National Security Archive at George Washington University (10/09/2021) of declassified Australian Government records, confirming the active participation of Australian Secret Intelligence Service agents (ASIS) in Chile, between 1971 through to October 1973. These ASIS agents assisted the Government of the United States of America and its Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the destabilisation of the democratically elected Government of Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens.
On Friday 8 October 2021 we received a reply from your office, advising that no comment would be made on those disclosures, as an application pertaining to disclosure of relevant records was before Australian courts. As you are aware, those applications before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal were determined on 1.11.21, and therefore there is no obstacle to you addressing our concerns.
We, the undersigned, reiterate our outrage and repugnance of Australia’s involvement in the coup d’état that took place on 11 September 1973.
We note we are Australian citizens and residents of Chilean origin. Some of us and our loved ones were illegally detained and tortured by state security forces of the military junta headed by General Pinochet. Those brutal actions were the outcome, to some extent, of ASIS activities in Chile.
Our loved ones were subjected to State terrorism from 11 September 1973 through to March 1990, and Australia recognised many of us as political refugees or beneficiaries of its humanitarian programme. We feel deceived as we learn that ASIS agents cooperated with the CIA to carry out the violent coup d’état which brought Pinochet to power, resulting in the violation of our human rights, prior to being offered refuge in Australia. We are entitled to an unreserved apology from the Government of Australia, which has interfered in a sovereign nation in a clear breach of international law.
We request that the Government of Australia declassifies all necessary files regarding ASIS activities in Chile in the 1970s. This decision to declassify these records is an entirely political decision which you and your government are entitled to make. It is wrong to continue to suppress these records. The Government of Australia must cease blocking investigative journalistic efforts and freedom of information applications regarding the activities of ASIS in Chile.
It is our understanding that Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) agents may have also remained in Chile after the 1973 coup. That much can be deduced from statements by former Labor and Immigration Minister of the Whitlam government, Mr Clyde Cameron, who in 1983 stated that he was,
‘appalled to think that [his] own department was involved [as the] hyphen, if you like, between the CIA, which weren’t able to operate in Chile at that time… and the Pinochet junta.’
Further, on 2 December 1974 then Minister Cameron wrote to the Attorney General Senator Lionel Murphy, stating:
‘I am particularly disturbed to learn that ASIO agents have been posing as migration officers in South America and I am now convinced–though firm denials are to be expected–that the reports of ASIO collaboration with the CIA in bringing about the overthrow of the Allende Government is very close to the mark.’
In light of the above remarks, we are of the view that the work of ASIS/ASIO agents in Santiago may have negatively impacted Chileans attempting to flee the Pinochet dictatorship. More broadly, when one takes into consideration the available evidence and allegations of ASIS and ASIO’s presence in Chile both prior and during the military regime, Canberra’s refusal to declassify files on these matters suggests that the Australian Government avoids being accountable for its unjust and gratuitous involvement in the overthrow of a democratically elected government, however limited that involvement may have been. If the records are benign or uncontroversial, they must be released.
Our community and the wider Australian community are unable to measure the impact of ASIS/ASIO involvement without full disclosure of relevant records. We reiterate Australia’s moral responsibility to set the historical record straight, and its legal obligation to be transparent and accountable. Accordingly, we demand that the Australian government declassify any files pertaining to the activities of ASIO agents in Santiago during the 1970s and 1980s.
Many Chilean-Australian citizens and residents continue to search for their relatives who were disappeared during the brutal Pinochet regime. The complete declassification of ASIS and ASIO activities in Chile will help the victims of the dictatorship in their pursuit of perpetrators of crimes against humanity through the Chilean judicial system and assist them attain closure for this painful period of their lives.
We, the signatories, are academics, lawyers, health professionals, tradespeople, service employees, students, artists, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, mums and dads. We are but a sample of the hundreds of families of Chilean Australian origin contributing to Australia, who have been deeply affected by the overthrow of Allende’s government.
Please send your reply to independent journalist Dr. Rodrigo Acuña with copy to lawyer Adriana Navarro.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Rodrigo Acuña (rodrigo.indepj@gmail.com)
Adriana Navarro (navarroassociates@bigpond.com)
Signed by the following, in representation of themselves and their families:
1. Patricia Acosta, daughter of Gladys Galaz, political prisoner,
2. Rodrigo Acuña, son of Leonardo Carrillo, who was jailed and tortured in 1975 for approximately two months by police, police intelligence and military; son of Luz Acuña Aguayo, summarily dismissed for political reasons,
3. Luz Acuña Aguayo, summarily dismissed for political reasons in 1973 from the Department of Public Housing,
4. Luis Rodolfo Roberto Allemand Ramirez, detained by Pinochet secret police, CNI in 1985 and 1986, held illegally captive and tortured in Borgono Barracks, political asylee under the UNHCR program in 1987,
5. David Alvarez son of Jose Alvarez Rifo, imprisoned and tortured on the torture ship Lebu September 1973
6. Sonia Alvear and Haydee Alvear, daughters of Javier Alvear, tortured and assassinated in October 1973,
7. Manuel Amsteins, university student union leader, expelled from university, threatened and intimidated, forced to leave Chile,
8. Carlos Aravena Union leader detained on 11 September 1973. Detained and tortured at Tacna Regiment, Chilean Stadium (now called Victor Jara Stadium). Freed months later.
9. Hernan Avendano brother in law of Ricardo Weibel detained and disappeared November 1975,
10. Jorge Patricio Baldiola Rivera detained by the secret police CNI in November 1977. Was brutally tortured and then sent to the Penitenciary in Santiago. He was a political prisioner for many years. Escaped from Chile with his family,
11. Miguel Barrientos, mining worker summarily dismissed for political reasons, political refugee,
12. Carlos Nelson Beltran Lira, detained and tortured at torture ship Lebu; widower of Cecilia Zamora Carvajal, also detained and tortured in Valparaiso,
13. Alfredo Caceres, political prisoner for two years, tortured and disappeared for one week,
14. Leonardo Carrillo, jailed and tortured in 1975 for approximately two months by police, police intelligence and military,
15. Eduardo Enrique Carvajal Jofre detained on 8th March 1982 in Santiago of Chile by the National Central Intelligence (CNI). Tortured during 10 days at the CNI’s Cuartel Borgoño. His personal testimony was recorded by the Valech Commission.
16. Jorge Castro, political prisoner, tortured and jailed from 1986 to 1988,
17. Patricia Castro, was detained many times by agents of the state, her family was under surveillance while in Chile and also in Australia, afer they came to Australia as refugees,
18. Elena Cerda detained in January 1976, when freed she had to leave Chile with her family,
19. Christian Cifuentes, shot, detained and subjected to physical and psychological abuse by police,
20. Elbia Concha, active member of National Campaign for Truth and Justice in Chile-Australia,
21. Elba Cruz, brother killed and disappeared by State security forces (body never recovered),
22. Arnoldo Diaz, detained and tortured by CNI secret police for 28 days, then imprisoned in Santiago’s Penitentiary, September 1986,
23. Mauricio Donato and Ivan Donato, sons of Jaime Donato, detained and disappeared by Pinochet agents in May 1976,
24. Cielo Ellis-Vega, son of Vlaudin Vega who was beaten by police and grandson of Gustavo Vega who was detained and tortured by Chilean police,
25. Isabel Espinosa Galleguillos detained on 11 September 1973 in the factory where she worked, pregnant at the time, severely beaten causing the loss of her baby,
26. Jaime Espinosa, persecuted for his political beliefs, political refugee,
27. Hugo Espinoza, detained and tortured by Air Force personnel and then imprisoned on a ship used as a concentration camp, political asylee,
28. Eduardo Figueroa, jailed, tortured and exiled,
29. Ricardo Fredes, son of Hector Fredes, detained in Pisagua concentration camp, tortured,
30. Sergio Fredes, son of Hector Fredes, detained in Pisagua concentration camp, tortured,
31. Juan Garrido Salgado political prisoner 1985 in Rancagua,
32. Bernarda Gomez, jailed and tortured in 1983,
33. Ana Hurtado, daughter of Fulvio Hurtado Rojas, jailed and tortured in 1985,
34. Omar Iturrieta Leon survivor of the Prisoners Camp of the National Stadium. Ex student leader, member of the Socialist Party,
35. Maria Eugenia Jimenez; her brother was savagely tortured, her father was tortured in one of Pinochet’s concentration camps; her mother was tortured and imprisoned; she was beaten for being a student leader, exiled,
36. Patricio Ledo, jailed in 1986,
37. Maria Teresa Mardones, daughter of Guillermo Mardones, political exoneree,
38. Victor Marillanca, university student from regional Chile, illegally detained in September 1973 and held in 2 separate Army barracks; severely tortured with permanent, severe physical sequelae; given refuge in Australia due to special circumstances,
39. Simon Marti Penaloza, son of Sandra del Carmen Pinto Silva whose father Edras de las Mercedes Pinto Arroyo disappeared at the hands of Pinochet’s state security agents in 1976 (body never recovered) and sister of Gloria Pinto Silva who was murdered,
40. Gustavo Armando Martin Montenegro, detained, beaten by Pinochet agents, household belongings were destroyed, given refuge in Australia,
41. Jose Martinez, jailed and tortured in September 1986,
42. Gonzalo Miranda. Student leader UTE/University of Santiago, Chile 1980s. Detained and expelled
43. Carlos Mujica Morales, mining worker, summarily dismissed for political reasons, political refugee,
44. Mercedes Munoz Reyes, detained 1984,
45. Adriana Navarro, whose husband was imprisoned by Air Force personnel and savagely tortured,
46. Segundo Nitor, jailed and tortured in 1973,
47. Nadia Olguin President of the JAP and Neighbourhood group. Active participation in food kitchens during dictatorship. Persecuted by the military. Arrived in Australia with her family in May 1977.
48. Angelica Oliva, daughter-in-law of Jaime Donato, detained, disappeared in 1976,
49. Maria Orostegui, disappeared for one month and tortured by her captors,
50. Jeanette Oujani, exiled; daughter of Luis Munoz, jailed, tortured and exile; daughter of Margarita Munoz, exiled; sister of Alexis Munoz, shot and killed; sister of Luis Munoz, disappeared,
51. Marcial Mario Parada, union organiser in 1973, arrested by the military and tortured, political refugee,
52. Carmen Luz Parra Sanhueza, former partner of Luis Rodolfo Roberto Allemand Ramirez, forced to witness other detainees being tortured, political refugee,
53. Diego Penaloza Pinto, son of Sandra del Carmen Pinto Silva, grandson of Edras de las Mercedes Pinto Arroyo, disappeared at the hands of Pinochet’s agents, and nephew of Gloria Pinto Silva, murdered by those State agents,
54. Jaime Pineda Araneda, son of Sandrino Pineda and Luisa Araneda. Father was jailed and the mother and her young son persecuted. The family was forced into exile,
55. Sandra del Carmen Pinto Silva, daughter of Edras de las Mercedes Pinto Arroyo, disappeared at the hands of Pinochet’s state security agents in 1976 (body never recovered); sister of Gloria Pinto Silva, murdered,
56. Miguel Pizarro, detained and tortured 1984 and 1985, then imprisoned in Santiago’s Penitentiary,
57. Luis Roberto Pizzorno, detained, tortured, state agents attempted to murder him, causing serious injury and loss of vision in one eye,
58. Claudia Catalina Raddatz Torres, detained and tortured by the CNI, Pinochet’s secret police,
59. Miguel Ramirez, jailed and tortured, March 1987,
60. Jose Rios Fernandez, detained, political prisoner, tortured on several occasions between 1978-1983,
61. Paulo Rios Olivares, son of Jose Rios Fernandez, kidnapped at 8 years of age in 1982, subjected to psychological torture,
62. Osvaldo and Romina Rios Olivares, son and daughter of Jose Rios Olivares,
63. Elizabeth Rivera, student leader persecuted for her ideals, and cousin of Hector Herrera Olguin, the young man who found the mutilated body of singer-songwriter Victor Jara,
64. Nancy Rivera Huencho, tortured and jailed between 1988 and 1990,
65. Nelson Rivera Huencho, tortured and jailed in 1982, 1984 and 1988,
66. Patricia Saavedra, jailed with her husband Antonio Sergio Cabezas Quijada at Tacna Army Barracks. Subsequently Antonio was again kidnapped by State agents and later disappeared; he is presumed dead,
67. Andres Sanchez son of Paula Sanchez Castro, tortured and jailed in August 1987
68. Camila Sanchez daugher of Paula Sanchez Castro, tortured and jailed in August 1987
69. Paula Sanchez Castro, tortured and jailed in August 1987,
70. Guillermo Sanchez Tucas, detained on 11 September 1973 in the factory where he worked, then taken to National Stadium, tortured,
71. Raul San Juan, trade union leader; persecuted with his family, political exile,
72. Mario A Santana Morales, detained 13 September 1973 in San Antonio prison, and Tejas Verde concentration camp, relegated to Combarbalá. Returned to civilian life in 1975 with no charges being fled.
73. Miguel Alfonso Santana Nyborg Union leader 1971-1977 First worker in Chile to be dismissed with no cause, case was heard in Supreme Court
74. Carlos Saravia, detained at Technical University, Santiago, Chile,
75. Flora Saravia daughter of Carlos Saravia detained at the Technical University Santiago, Chile
76. Rosa Saravia wife of Carlos Saravia detained at the Technical University Santiago, Chile
77. Ricardo Antonio Scheihing Villaroel, detained, relegated and tortured
78. Danni Serrano, sister of Jorge Aspillaga, jailed and tortured,
79. Patricia Javiera Serrano, daughter of Rony Serrano Saavedra, political prisoner,
80. Robinson Torres, detained in the public prison in 1974, exiled in Peru and then Australia
81. Carlos Trigo Jofre, brother of political prisoner Roberto Trigo Jofre, detained 1982,
82. Cesar Trigo Olivares, nephew of political prisoner Roberto Trigo Jofre, detained 1982,
83. Lorena Trigo Olivares, niece of political prisoner Roberto Trigo Jofre, detained 1982,
84. Yvonne, Yslevy and Clive Miguel Tudela, children of Clive Tudela Espinoza, jailed on the afernoon of the 11th of September 1973. Taken from his place of work to the detention centres at Chile Stadium and National Stadium in Santiago, where he was held and tortured for over 4 months,
85. Nestor Uribe jailed and tortured in July 1983
86. Hilda Valenzuela, widow of Manuel Valenzuela, chemical engineer, jailed and savagely tortured before migrating to Australia under its humanitarian programme,
87. Patrick Vasquez, son of Pedro Angel Vasquez, who was severely tortured, and brother of Hugo Ribol Vasquez, who was assassinated by State agents,
88. Vlaudin Vega, beaten by police, son of Gustavo Vega who was detained and tortured by Chilean police,
89. Vrelo Vega, son of Gustavo Vega and brother of Vlaudin Vega
90. Emilian Jose Abarca
91. Luis Alfonso Abarca
92. Valentina Maria Bernardita Abarca
93. Valeria Macarena Abarca
94. Belén Acuña Rojas
95. Sergio Acuña
96. Casandra Aedo Aguilera
97. Karina Aedo Aguilera
98. Andrea Aguilera
99. Leontina Aguilera
100. Oscar Aguilera
101. Pilar Aguilera
102. Julio Esteban Altamirano
103. Marta Avila
104. Mauricio Alvarez
105. Yolanda Alvarez
106. Marta Amsteins
107. Gladys Aravena
108. Claudia Andrea Arcila Quezada
109. Luis Enrique Ascui
110. Loreto Astudillo
111. Gilda Barrett
112. Breisi Brito
113. Rocío Brito
114. Paloma Bugedo Caroca
115. Jorge Alfonso Cantellano
116. Manuel Carrasco Inostroza
117. Monica Castillo
118. Jorge Cataldo Saavedra
119. Rod Ceballos
120. Eugenia Celedon
121. Boris Cid
122. Hector Cid
123. Rocio Cid Rojas
124. Hector Manuel Contreras
125. Marcela Cornejo
126. Ramon Cornejo
127. Gonzalo Cruz
128. Jorge Cruz
129. Marcos Cruz Garcia Maria Cruz
130. Victor Cruz
131. Joana Carolina Cubillos Castillo
132. Clara Castro Pardo
133. Violeta Curiante Veliz
134 Pamela Diaz Sepulveda
135. Constanza Delgadillo
136. Praxedes Evelyn Doria
137. Gilberto Rubén Duran Molina
138. Elena Espina
139. Juan Carlos Espina
140. Ana Espinoza
141. Horacio Espinoza
142. Luz Espinoza
143. Nelson Espinoza
144. Natalie Estay Valenzuela
145. Vanessa Estrada
146. Sara Falcon
147. Mailen Farag
148. Sara Falcon
149. Mailen Farag
150. Patricio Antonio Fernandez Inostroza
151. Brisilda Fernandez
152. Gloria Fernandez
153. Vicky Ferrada
154. Eric Flores
155. Eusebio Flores
156. Manuel Flores
157. Alejandra Fontecilla Saieh
158. Javier Fuentes
159. Luisa Gaete
160. Silvia Gaete
161. Pamela Garces
162. Patrick Gatica Lara
163. Gabriel Andres Gonzalez Morales
164. Gabriela Isabel González
165. Marcelo Gonzalez
166. Mariluz Gonzalez
167. Victor Gonzalez
168. Florentino Guzman
169. Maria Jose Herrera
170. Gonzalo illesca
171. Jessica Ibacache
172. Virginia Iturriaga
173. Jorge Jorquera
174. Carmen Kohler
175. Mario Kohler
176. Marta Lagos
177. Dagoberto Lara
178. Silvia Latorre
179. Tresa LeClerc
180. Noelia Manríquez Marchant
181. Alejandro Mardones
182. Juan Sebastian Martinez
183. Nicanor Martinez
184. Javiera Mendoza Melys
185. Patricia Meza
186. Carlos Miranda
187. Jose Miranda
188. Odelia Miranda
198. Patricio Mora
190. Jose Luis Munoz
191. Katia Munoz Aravena
192. Natalia Nazir
193. Nancy Nuñez
194. Susana Ojeda
195. Valentina Olmos Jorquera
196. Carolina Opazo
197. Victor Hugo Orellana
198. Victor Manuel Pastor Ojeda
199. Carlos Pavez
200. Carmen Pavez
201. Brian Pincheira
202. Damaris Pincheira
203. Gladys Pincheira
204. Ivan Pincheira
205. John Pincheira
206. Omar Pincheira
207. Lucia Poblete
208. Marco Antonio Quiroz Muñoz
209. Jose Luis Retamal
210. Pablo Reyes
211. Pedro Reyes
212. Rodrigo Ramos
213. Damaris Regan
214. James Regan
215. John Regan
216. Sean Regan
217. Aileen Riquelme
218. Luis Riquelme
219. Alex Rodriguez
220. Mateo Rodriguez
221. Susana Rodriguez
223. Adriana Rojas
224. Ana Maria Rojas
225. Hortensia Rojas Toledo
226. Cristian Manuel Saavedra
227. Hernan Salinas
228. Marisol Salinas
229. Soledad Marina Salinas Velis
230. Alfredo Salgado
231. Eduardo Santelices
232. Cecilia Saravia
233. Cristian Seguín
234. Valezka Seguín Henríquez
235. Paul Sepulveda
236. Oscar Socias
237. Aladino Solar
238. Hortensia Solar
239. Marta Soto
240. Lorna Suzarte
241. Teresa Tiganis
242. Daniela Andrea Torrealba Arregui
243. Maximo Torres
244. Luis Ricardo Ugarte Velis
245. Raquel Leonor Andrea Ugarte Velis
246. David Uribe
247. Carlos Valenzuela Cruz
248. Roberto Valenzuela Cruz
249. Maria Valdivia
250. Alejandro Vargas Gutierrez
251. Jose Manuel Vargas
252. Kenna Vargas
253. Marina Andrea Velis Guerra
254. Luis Veliz Garate
255. Carolina Andrea Vera Burgos
256. Victor Vergara
257. Miriam Villalobos
258. Francesco Viran
259. Guillermo Viran
258. Anaí Wiche Elorza
259. Jaime Wilson Ramirez
260. Walter Wilson Ramirez
261. Fernando Whittaker-Roa
262. Alex Rodriguez
263. Miguel Zorondo
264. Lidia Alejandra Zuniga