FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. Chile completed a two-year non-permanent position on the UN Security Council in January 2005. Jose Miguel Insulza, a Chilean national, was elected Secretary General of the Organization of American States in May 2005. Chile served as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors in 2007-2008, and as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) president pro tempore until August 2009. The country is an active member of the UN family of agencies and participates in UN peacekeeping activities; Chile currently has over 500 peacekeepers in Haiti. Chile hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and related meetings in 2004. It hosted the Ibero-American Summit in November 2007 and the Progressive Governance Network in March 2009. An associate member of Mercosur, a full member of APEC, a member of the Arco del Pacifico, and a member of the Pathways to Prosperity, Chile has been an important actor on international economic issues and hemispheric free trade. Chile will host the Americas Competitiveness Forum in September 2009.
The Chilean Government has diplomatic relations with most countries. It settled its territorial disputes with Argentina during the 1990s. Chile and Bolivia severed diplomatic ties in 1978 over Bolivia's desire to reacquire territory it lost to Chile in 1879-83 War of the Pacific. The two countries maintain consular relations and are represented at the Consul General level. In January 2008, Peru submitted a case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague asking for a decision on a new maritime border with Chile. Chile acceded to the International Criminal Court in June 2009.
In May 2008, President Bachelet announced government plans to significantly increase scholarships for Chileans to study abroad. The new Government of Chile scholarship program was launched with a goal of sending over 1,000 students/scholars overseas in 2008 and 2,500 in 2009. Program leaders estimate that approximately one-third may choose to study in the U.S.
U.S.-CHILEAN
RELATIONS
Relations between the United States and Chile are better now than at any other time in history. The U.S. Government applauded the rebirth of democratic practices in Chile in the late 1980s and early 1990s and sees the maintenance of a vibrant democracy and a healthy and sustainable economy as among the most important U.S. interests in Chile. Besides the landmark 2003 U.S.-Chile FTA, the two governments consult frequently on issues of mutual concern, including in the areas of multilateral diplomacy, security, culture, and science.
The U.S. Government and the Government of Chile have frequent high-level
interaction. President Bachelet met with President Obama at the Summit of the
Americas in April 2009 and traveled to Washington for another visit in June
2009. Vice President Biden traveled to Chile in March 2009 to participate in
meetings of the Progressive Governance Network and hold bilateral talks with
President Bachelet.
In June 2008, President Bachelet and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the Chile-California Partnership for the 21st Century. The partnership will foster collaboration between individuals, government, and the private sector in areas such as agriculture, energy efficiency, environmental resource management, and education.
The U.S. Chile Equal Opportunities Scholarship Program, inaugurated in 2007, was established to sponsor English and academic studies for Chilean PhD students who come from disadvantaged and rural areas that have not traditionally had access to English language schools or study abroad opportunities. The program has been quite successful, becoming a model for other international scholarships programs with Chile.
U.S.
Embassy Functions
In addition to working closely with Chilean Government officials to strengthen our bilateral relationship, the U.S. Embassy in Santiago provides a wide range of services to U.S. citizens and businesses in Chile. (Please see the embassy's home page for details of these services.) The Embassy also is the locus for a number of American community activities in the Santiago area.
The Public Affairs Section cooperates with universities and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) on a variety of programs of bilateral interest. Of special
note are extensive U.S. Speaker, International Visitor, and Fulbright academic
exchange programs. Themes of particular interest include energy and
environmental issues, trade, intellectual property rights, international
security, democratic governance in the region, educational quality, law
enforcement, and the teaching of English. The Public Affairs Section works daily
with Chilean media, which has a keen interest in bilateral and regional
relations. It also assists visiting foreign media, including U.S. journalists,
and is regularly involved in press events for high-level visitors. The Public
Affairs Section, largely through the Information Resource Center, disseminates
information about U.S. policies, society, and culture.
Attachés at the Embassy from the Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) work closely with the hundreds of U.S. companies who export to or maintain offices in Chile. These officers provide information on Chilean trade and industry regulations and administer several programs intended to support U.S. companies' sales in Chile.
The Consular Section of the Embassy provides vital services to the more than 10,000 U.S. citizens residing in Chile. It assists Americans who wish to vote in U.S. elections while abroad, provides U.S. tax information, and facilitates government benefits/social security payments. Besides those U.S. citizens resident in Chile, about 170,000 U.S. citizens visit Chile annually. The Consular Section offers passport and emergency services to U.S. tourists during their stay in Chile. It also issued about 66,000 visitor visas in FY 2008 to Chilean citizens who planned to travel to the United States.
DEFENSE
Chile's Armed Forces are subject to civilian control exercised by the President through the Minister of Defense. The President has the authority to remove the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces.
Army
The commander in chief of the Chilean Army is General Oscar Izurieta Ferrer. The Chilean Army is 45,000 strong and is organized with an Army headquarters in Santiago, seven divisions throughout its territory, an Air Brigade in Rancagua, and a Special Forces Command in Colina. The Chilean Army is one of the most professional and technologically advanced armies in Latin America.
Navy
Admiral Rodolfo Codina directs the 23,000-person Navy, including 2,500 Marines. Of the fleet of 29 surface vessels, only eight are operational major combatants (frigates). Those ships are based in Valparaiso. The Navy operates its own aircraft for transport and patrol; there are no Navy fighter or bomber aircraft. The Navy also operates four submarines based in Talcahuano.
Air Force (FACH)
Gen. Ricardo Ortega Perrier heads a force of 12,500. Air assets are distributed
among five air brigades headquartered in Iquique, Antofagasta, Santiago, Puerto
Montt, and Punta Arenas. The Air Force also operates an airbase on King George
Island, Antarctica. The FACH took delivery of the final 2 of 10 F-16s, all
purchased from the U.S., in March 2007. Chile also took delivery in 2007 of a
number of reconditioned Block 15 F-16s from the Netherlands, bringing to 18 the
total of F-16s purchased from the Dutch.
Carabineros
After the military coup in September 1973, the Chilean national police (Carabineros) were incorporated into the Defense Ministry. With the return of democratic government, the police were placed under the operational control of the Interior Ministry but remained under the nominal control of the Defense Ministry. Gen. Jose Bernales is the head of the national police force of 30,000 men and women who are responsible for law enforcement, traffic management, narcotics suppression, border control, and counter-terrorism throughout Chile.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Paul E. Simons
Deputy Chief of Mission--Carol Urban
Public Affairs Counselor--Laurie B. Weitzenkorn
Management Counselor--Eric Khant
Commercial Counselor--Mitchell G. Larsen
Economic and Political Counselor--Juan A. Alsace
Consul General--Christian Bendsen
Defense Attaché--Captain Richard W. Goodwyn, USN
Military Group Commander--Colonel Jeffrey B. Smith, USAF
Agricultural Counselor--Joseph López
APHIS Attaché--Karen S. Sliter
Legal Attaché--Stanley Stoy
Drug Enforcement Administration--Dave Horan
The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Santiago are located at 2800 Andres Bello Avenue, Las Condes, (tel. 562-330-3000; fax: 562-330-3710). The mailing address is 2800 Andres Bello Avenue, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.
