The relationship between

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, which dates back to the 19th century, has improved significantly since 1988 and is better than at any other time in history. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the US government applauded the rebirth of democratic practices in Chile, despite having supported the 1973 coup d'état and subsequent military regime. Regarded as one of the least corrupt and most vibrant democracies in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, with a healthy economy, Chile is noted as being one of the closest strategic allies of the United States in the Southern Hemisphere, along with

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

, and remains part of the

Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (commonly known as the Rio Treaty, the Rio Pact, the Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, or by the Spanish-language acronym TIAR from ''Tratado Interamericano de Asistencia Recíproca'') is an agreem ...

. A prime example of cooperation includes the landmark 2003

Chile–United States Free Trade Agreement The United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement is a free trade agreement between the United States and Chile signed on June 6, 2003. The pact came into force on January 1, 2004. On that date, tariffs on 90% of U.S. exports to Chile and 95% of Chil ...

. Chile is also the only South American nation that shares membership in the

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries ...

with the United States, as well as the only Latin American country to be included in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. The governments consult frequently on issues including multilateral

diplomacy Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. 1 ...

security Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others, by restraining the freedom of others to act. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social ...

, culture and science. Recently the governments have signed agreements on

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

and

green energy Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as greenho ...

. According to several global opinion polls,

Chileans Chileans ( es, Chilenos) are people identified with the country of Chile, whose connection may be residential, legal, historical, ethnic, or cultural. For most Chileans, several or all of these connections exist and are collectively the source ...

have a considerably positive opinion of the U.S., with 72% of Chileans viewing the U.S. favorably in 2015, and 62% of Chileans viewing American influence positively in 2013, the highest rating for any surveyed country in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

. According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 42% of Chileans approve of U.S. leadership, with 25% disapproving and 32% uncertain.

History

A colony of Spain, Chile previously had been an audiencia of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Napoleon's French armies invaded Spain in 1808 and imposed a new ruler. The invasion sparked revolutionary movements in Spain's American colonies. Chilean revolutionaries declared Chile's independence on September 18, 1810. Several years of fighting followed, but by 1822 U.S.

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

concluded that Spain was unable to recover its colonies. He decided on recognition and asked Congress for funds for Ministers Plenipotentiary for Chile, La Plata (Argentina), Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. Spain protested, but Congress provided the funding in mid-1822. In 1823, Monroe named Heman Allen of Vermont as Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary to Chile. After 1864 a series of small issues worsened relations. Chilean businessmen preferred working with British merchants.

War of the Pacific 1879-1884

Washington favored Peru during Chile's

War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific ( es, link=no, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War ( es, link=no, Guerra del salitre) and by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought ...

with Peru and Bolivia 1879 until 1884. It tried to bring an early end to the long-lasting war mainly because of US business and financial interests in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. Moreover, Washington worried that British merchants would take economic control of the region through Chile. Peace negotiations failed when a stipulation required Chile to return the conquered lands. Chileans suspected the new US initiative was tainted with a pro-Peruvian bias. As a result, relations between Chile and the United States took a turn for the worse. Chile instead asked that the United States remain neutral. The United States Pacific Squadron only contained a few wooden vessels, and Chile had two new armored warships. The U.S. knew they were unable to match Chilean naval power and backed down.

Baltimore incident 1891

In 1891 Washington favored the losing side in a

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. It blocked the transfer of arms purchased illegally in California by the rebels in the

Itata incident The ''Itata'' incident was a diplomatic affair and military incident involving the United States and Chilean insurgents during the 1891 Chilean Civil War. The incident concerned an arms shipment by the Chilean ship ''Itata'' from the United St ...

. The US minister harbored dozens of leaders of the losing faction in the embassy; they eventually left on American ships. To protect American interests during the civil war President Benjamin Harrison and his aggressive Navy Secretary

Benjamin F. Tracy Benjamin Franklin Tracy (April 26, 1830August 6, 1915) was a United States political figure who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1889 through 1893, during the administration of U.S. President Benjamin Harrison. Biography He was born in th ...

sent a warship, the "USS Baltimore"; unwisely the captain allowed shore leave for his men in the hostile port of Valparaiso. Trouble escalated into a street brawl, with two Americans dead, 17 injured and 36 in jail. This led to the major " Baltimore crisis" between the two nations, with loose talk of possible war. Chile at first denied responsibility, and the foreign minister attacked the U.S. Harrison demanded full satisfaction as a point of honor and demanded $75,000 in reparations. European powers favored Chile; they recognized American dominance in the region and did not intervene. Argentina, and Peru, and to a lesser extent Brazil, had their own grievances against Chile and supported the U.S. Chile capitulated to Washington's terms and afterward built up its navy and its European connections.

U.S. Embassy

In addition to working closely with Chilean government officials to strengthen their bilateral relationship, the U.S.

Embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...

provides a range of services to

U.S. citizen Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...

s and businesses in Chile. (see the embassy's home page for details of these services.) The embassy also is the focus for a number of American community activities in the Santiago area. The public affairs section cooperates with universities and

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

s on programs, including U.S. Speaker, International Visitor, and

Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

programs. Themes of include trade, international security, democratic governance in the region, judicial reform,

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...

, environmental issues, and the teaching of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. The public affairs section works daily with Chilean

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...

. It also assists visiting foreign media, including U.S.

journalists A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

, and is regularly involved in press events for high-level visitors. Attachés at the embassy from the Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and the

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based in Riverdale, Maryland responsible for protecting animal health, animal welfare, and plant health. APHIS is the lead ...

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 in Chile. The Consular Section of the Embassy provides services to U.S. citizens residing in Chile, currently of 19,000 people. It assists Americans voting in U.S.

election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...

s while abroad, provides U.S. tax information, and facilitates government benefit and social security payments. About 170,000 U.S. citizens visit Chile each year. The Consular Section offers passport and emergency services to U.S. tourists during their stay in Chile. It also issues about 40,000 visitor

visa Visa most commonly refers to: *Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company ** Visa Debit card issued by the above company ** Visa Electron, a debit card ** Visa Plus, an interbank network *Travel visa, a document that allows ...

s a year to Chilean citizens who travel to the United States.

Visa Waiver Program

In February 2014, the U.S. government officially announced that it had added Chile to the

Visa Waiver Program The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program of the United States federal government that allows nationals of specific countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. It ...

, enabling all Chilean citizens to travel the United States without payment of a fee beginning in May and making Chile the only nation in Latin America to possess such a privilege, one usually afforded to only the closest allies and partners of the U.S., such as countries of Europe,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

and

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Principal U.S. Embassy officials

* Deputy Chief of Mission – Dale B. Eppler * Counselor for Public Affairs – Marianne Scott * Counselor for Management Affairs – Amy Cox (acting) * Commercial Counselor – Ellen Lenny-Pessagno * Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs – Patrick Ventrell * Consul General – Matthew Gillen * Defense and Navy Attaché – Captain Reginald Baker * Air Attaché – Colonel John Hokaj * Army Attaché * Legal Attaché – Ben Martinez * DEA Agent-in-Charge * Regional Security Officer – William Gannon * Military Group Commander – Colonel Michael Price * Press Attaché – Nicole Gallagher * Cultural Attaché – Kimberly Gillen * APHIS AREA Director – Preclearance Program Manager, Anwar Rizvi * Agricultural Attaché – Anita Katial * RDECOM Forward Element Command – Americas (RFEC-AME)- Héctor González * ONR Regional Director – Bradley Goodrich * FDA Agency Director – Julio Salazar * National Geospacial Agency Chief – John Roa * AFOSR/SOARD – Dr. Brett Pokines

Resident diplomatic missions

* Chile has an embassy in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

and consulates-general in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

and

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

. * United States has an embassy in

. File:Embassy of Chile in Washington, D.C..jpg, Embassy of Chile in Washington, D.C. File:US Embassy in Santiago.jpg, Embassy of the United States in Santiago

References

and

External links

History of Chile - U.S. relations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chile - United States Relations Bilateral relations of the United States