U.S. Praises Move to Restore Civil Rights in Chile

WASHINGTON — The State Department on Thursday praised the lifting of restrictions on civil liberties in Chile and expressed hope that the action will lead to additional steps that will allow “the full and free expression of popular will.”

The move, announced Wednesday by Chile’s military leaders and expected to go into effect with the official publication of the decrees today, will mark the first time since the armed forces and police took power in 1973 that a state of emergency or other similar measure restricting civil rights has not been officially in effect.

The Chilean announcement came less than a week before the expected selection, by the four-man ruling junta, of President Augusto Pinochet as the sole candidate in a presidential referendum later this year.

Successive U.S. administrations have been hostile to Pinochet’s rule, and Thursday’s statement by State Department spokeswoman Phyllis Oakley was one of the few positive comments about Chile’s leadership in 15 years.

“The U.S. government has stated on repeated occasions that the continuation of states of exception, which limit basic civil rights, is incompatible with democratic electoral processes,” Oakley said.

She said the termination of the “states of exception” is a “positive step which we applaud.”

“We firmly hope that this decision by the Chilean government signals a lasting guarantee of the civil rights of the Chilean people,” she added. “We also hope that by ending the states of exception, the Chilean government is indicating a sincere desire to take further steps to allow the full and free expression of popular will.”