Chile Legalizes Political Parties; Marxists Excluded

The military junta on Thursday restored legal status to the nation’s non-Marxist political parties after a 13-year suspension. But most opposition politicians condemned the new legislation, saying it was too restrictive.

The four-member junta assumed legislative functions after the September, 1973, coup that overthrew Salvador Allende, the elected Marxist president, and installed army Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Allende died in the rebellion.

Despite the suspension, the parties never completely disappeared and gradually resumed limited but technically illegal activity. They have been especially active during the last five years, and the rightist regime has tolerated most of the activity.

The bill restoring their legal status must be approved by a seven-member government-controlled constitutional tribunal before it takes effect, but such approval was considered a formality.

Fulfilling Its Promise

The government heralded the lifting of the ban as an indication it is fulfilling its promise to lead Chile back to democratic rule.

“This is a demonstration of the government’s credibility,” said Francisco Cuadra, secretary of the presidency and the regime’s chief spokesman.

But Gabriel Valdes, president of the Christian Democratic Party, the nation’s largest political party, said the measure “reflects its (the government’s) dictatorial will.”

Ren Abeliuk, president of the opposition Social Democratic Party, called the new law “anti-party.”

“This law does not contribute to the restoration of democracy,” he declared.

Opposition leaders also criticized the government for not consulting moderates in drafting the law.

Many Restrictions

The measure restricts the parties’ international activities and bars them from receiving money from abroad. It regulates the names and symbols they may use and stipulates their internal organization. It obliges the parties to renew their leadership every three years and determines how a deceased or resigning leader must be replaced. It also forces them to submit to authorities a registry with the names of all members.

“The parties authorized by this law are the parties the government wants, not the ones the organizers of the parties desire,” protested Carlos Briones, leader of the Socialist Party.

The law prohibits parties from “advocating violence” or “ideologies that are of a totalitarian nature or based on class struggle,” thus barring Marxist parties.

Spokesmen for several parties said they may defy the law’s requirement that their organizations be registered with the National Election Board.