MARXIST WINS IN CHILE

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32395, 7 September 1970, Page 13

MARXIST WINS IN CHILE

(N.Z.P.A.-Rcuter—Copyright)

SANTIAGO (Chile), September 6. The Marxist candidate, Dr Salvador Allende, who gained a narrow victory in Presidential elections on Friday, said in Santiago that his example pointed the way for other Latin American countries.

Dr Allende, the 64-year-old leader of a Leftwing Popular Front Alliance, who failed in three previous attempts to gain the Presidency, received a mandate from the people to form the first democraticallyelected Communist-based government in the Western Hemisphere.

He told a press conference last night: “Our victory points a way which according to the reality ruling in each country, can be followed by other countries in Latin America." Mr Allende said that his Government would establish or r, new diplomatic relations with Cuba, China, North Korea, North Vietnam and East Germany. No Absolute Majority

But Mr Allende is not yet sure of being installed as President since he did not secure the absolute majority necessary to succeed the Christian Democrat President, Mr Eduardo Frei. Congress will have to decide on October 24 whether it will respect his relative majority in the three-way raee or choose the runner-up, Mr Jorge Allessandri, 74-year-old standard-bearer of the Right. i The Chilean Constitution

says that a joint session ot the House of Deputies and the Senate must decide between the two candidates who poll the most votes, if the winning total falls short of a 50 per cent majority. However, most observers believe that Congress will be extremely loath to ignore the wishes of the Chilean people for the first time in history.

Mr Allende and his backers can rely on 80 of the 200 Congressional votes, which means he needs only 21 more from the Christian Democrat bloc to take the nomination.

Mr Allessandri, a former President who is backed by the Right-wing National Party, can count on only 45 votes.

Mr Allenede told reporters that he did not believe the Army would step in to prevent his installation.

“There are no problems between the Armed Forces and the Chilean people, because our military have always espected the popular will and they will also do it in this case,” he said. Asked about foreign policy, he said that he wanted cordial relations with the United States and added: “We have nothing against the American people but against United States capital.” Mr Allende said that one of his Government’s main aims was “to recover for Chile the riches which are now in the hands of foreigners.”