Editing Richard Nixon (section)

==== Latin American policy ====
{{See also|U.S. intervention in Chile#1973 coup|Operation Condor}}
[[File:Gustavo Diaz Ordaz Richard Nixon San Diego.jpg|thumb|Nixon with Mexican president [[Gustavo Díaz Ordaz]] (to his right); motorcade in San Diego, California, September 1970]]

Nixon had been a firm supporter of Kennedy during the 1961 [[Bay of Pigs Invasion]] and 1962 [[Cuban Missile Crisis]]. On taking office in 1969, he stepped up covert operations against Cuba and its president, [[Fidel Castro]]. He maintained close relations with the Cuban-American exile community through his friend, [[Charles Rebozo|Bebe Rebozo]], who often suggested ways of irritating Castro. The Soviets and Cubans became concerned, fearing Nixon might attack Cuba and break the understanding between Kennedy and Khrushchev that ended the missile crisis. In August 1970, the Soviets asked Nixon to reaffirm the understanding, which he did, despite his hard line against Castro. The process was not completed before the Soviets began expanding their base at the Cuban port of [[Cienfuegos]] in October 1970. A minor confrontation ensued, the Soviets stipulated they would not use Cienfuegos for submarines bearing ballistic missiles, and the final round of diplomatic notes were exchanged in November.{{sfn|Ambrose|1989|pp=379–383}}

The election of Marxist candidate [[Salvador Allende]] as [[President of Chile]] in September 1970 spurred a vigorous campaign of covert opposition to him by Nixon and Kissinger.<ref name="The Pinochet File">{{cite book|last=Kornbluh|first=Peter|title=The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability|year=2003|publisher=The New Press|location=New York|isbn=978-1-56584-936-5}}</ref>{{rp|25}} This began by trying to convince the Chilean congress to confirm [[Jorge Alessandri]] as the winner of the election, and then messages to military officers in support of a coup.<ref name="The Pinochet File"/> Other support included strikes organized against Allende and funding for Allende opponents. It was even alleged that "Nixon personally authorized" $700,000 in covert funds to print anti-Allende messages in a prominent Chilean newspaper.<ref name="The Pinochet File"/>{{rp|93}} Following an extended period of social, political, and economic unrest, General [[Augusto Pinochet]] assumed power in a violent [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|coup d'état]] on September 11, 1973; among the [[Death of Salvador Allende|dead was Allende]].{{sfn|Black|p=921}}