When Pinochet Struck in the US: The Letelier-Moffitt Assassination
Cascalore
[{'start': '1.360', 'end': '7.120', 'text': 'On the morning of September 21st, 1976,'}, {'start': '4.880', 'end': '8.720', 'text': 'Orlando Latellier was driving his blue'}, {'start': '7.120', 'end': '10.559', 'text': 'Chevrolet Chevel from his home in'}, {'start': '8.720', 'end': '13.679', 'text': 'Bethesda, Maryland to his office in'}, {'start': '10.559', 'end': '15.519', 'text': 'Washington DC. In years prior, Latellier'}, {'start': '13.679', 'end': '17.440', 'text': "had served as Chile's foreign minister"}, {'start': '15.519', 'end': '20.400', 'text': 'under a socialist president Salvador'}, {'start': '17.440', 'end': '22.800', 'text': 'Aende, but was imprisoned following a US'}, {'start': '20.400', 'end': '24.720', 'text': 'supported coup in 1973.'}, {'start': '22.800', 'end': '26.800', 'text': 'After some diplomatic efforts led by'}, {'start': '24.720', 'end': '29.039', 'text': 'Venezuela, Latellier was released and'}, {'start': '26.800', 'end': '31.039', 'text': 'made his way to the US where he took a'}, {'start': '29.039', 'end': '33.520', 'text': 'job at the left-wing Institute of Policy'}, {'start': '31.039', 'end': '35.280', 'text': 'Studies. This morning, his co-orker'}, {'start': '33.520', 'end': '37.600', 'text': 'Ronnie Moffett is riding in the'}, {'start': '35.280', 'end': '39.680', 'text': 'passenger seat and her husband Michael'}, {'start': '37.600', 'end': '41.440', 'text': "is in the back. The couple's car was in"}, {'start': '39.680', 'end': '43.040', 'text': 'the garage, so Latellier had offered'}, {'start': '41.440', 'end': '45.200', 'text': 'them a chance to carpool on his drive'}, {'start': '43.040', 'end': '47.039', 'text': 'into the city. Latellier had also'}, {'start': '45.200', 'end': '49.280', 'text': 'offered his assistant, Juan Gabrielle'}, {'start': '47.039', 'end': '51.120', 'text': 'Valdez, a ride as well, but he had'}, {'start': '49.280', 'end': '52.879', 'text': 'declined as his wife was going to the'}, {'start': '51.120', 'end': '54.960', 'text': 'store and he needed someone to watch the'}, {'start': '52.879', 'end': '56.559', 'text': 'kids while she was out. According to'}, {'start': '54.960', 'end': '58.480', 'text': 'Valdez, the two of them had been'}, {'start': '56.559', 'end': '60.640', 'text': 'receiving threats at their office, but'}, {'start': '58.480', 'end': '62.480', 'text': 'Latellier was unperturbed, quipping,'}, {'start': '60.640', 'end': '65.480', 'text': '"They would never dare to attack me in'}, {'start': '62.480', 'end': '65.480', 'text': 'Washington."'}, {'start': '67.360', 'end': '71.600', 'text': 'As the car rounded Sheridan Circle in'}, {'start': '69.360', 'end': '73.360', 'text': 'the heart of Embassy Row, an explosion'}, {'start': '71.600', 'end': '76.000', 'text': 'ripped through the front seat, striking'}, {'start': '73.360', 'end': '78.000', 'text': 'Latellier and Ronnie Moffett. The car'}, {'start': '76.000', 'end': '79.759', 'text': 'lurched out of control and smashed into'}, {'start': '78.000', 'end': '82.320', 'text': 'a Volkswagen Beetle parked in front of'}, {'start': '79.759', 'end': '84.720', 'text': 'the Irish embassy. By all accounts, the'}, {'start': '82.320', 'end': '86.880', 'text': "scene was brutal. Latellier's legs were"}, {'start': '84.720', 'end': '89.439', 'text': 'blown off at the knees, and one of his'}, {'start': '86.880', 'end': '91.439', 'text': 'feet lay in the road. Michael Moffett,'}, {'start': '89.439', 'end': '92.960', 'text': 'relatively unharmed in the back seat,'}, {'start': '91.439', 'end': '95.200', 'text': 'managed to make his way out of the'}, {'start': '92.960', 'end': '97.200', 'text': 'burning car through the back window. He'}, {'start': '95.200', 'end': '99.119', 'text': 'was relieved to see his wife stumble out'}, {'start': '97.200', 'end': '101.360', 'text': 'of the front passenger seat and thinking'}, {'start': '99.119', 'end': '103.439', 'text': 'she too was relatively unharmed, ran to'}, {'start': '101.360', 'end': '105.680', 'text': 'save Orlando, shouting, "Assens,'}, {'start': '103.439', 'end': '108.640', 'text': 'fascists!" as he tried to drag Latellier'}, {'start': '105.680', 'end': '110.720', 'text': 'out of the car, but it was too late.'}, {'start': '108.640', 'end': '113.119', 'text': 'Latellier quickly lost consciousness and'}, {'start': '110.720', 'end': '114.799', 'text': 'passed away within minutes. Michael'}, {'start': '113.119', 'end': '117.119', 'text': 'returned to check on his wife and saw'}, {'start': '114.799', 'end': '119.439', 'text': "blood on her. She couldn't breathe. A"}, {'start': '117.119', 'end': '121.439', 'text': 'piece of shrapnel had pierced her neck.'}, {'start': '119.439', 'end': '123.439', 'text': 'Despite help arriving within minutes and'}, {'start': '121.439', 'end': '125.200', 'text': 'Ronnie being rushed to the hospital, she'}, {'start': '123.439', 'end': '127.680', 'text': 'would die just half an hour later,'}, {'start': '125.200', 'end': '130.720', 'text': 'having drowned in her own blood. She was'}, {'start': '127.680', 'end': '130.720', 'text': 'just 25 years'}, {'start': '130.760', 'end': '134.640', 'text': 'old. The brazen attack in the middle of'}, {'start': '133.360', 'end': '136.640', 'text': 'one of the most highsecurity'}, {'start': '134.640', 'end': '138.319', 'text': 'neighborhoods in the US capital shocked'}, {'start': '136.640', 'end': '140.560', 'text': 'even those familiar with the Chilean'}, {'start': '138.319', 'end': '142.400', 'text': 'regime, its campaign of terror targeting'}, {'start': '140.560', 'end': '144.959', 'text': 'dissident around the world, and its'}, {'start': '142.400', 'end': '146.879', 'text': 'vendetta against Latellier. Suspicion'}, {'start': '144.959', 'end': '148.560', 'text': "immediately fell on Pinish's secret"}, {'start': '146.879', 'end': '151.120', 'text': 'police, the Directorate of National'}, {'start': '148.560', 'end': '152.879', 'text': 'Intelligence or DINA. For the US'}, {'start': '151.120', 'end': '154.720', 'text': "government, which had supported Pinish's"}, {'start': '152.879', 'end': '156.800', 'text': 'coup against Aende under the Nixon'}, {'start': '154.720', 'end': '158.560', 'text': 'administration, the assassination was'}, {'start': '156.800', 'end': '160.319', 'text': 'treated as something of an awkward'}, {'start': '158.560', 'end': '162.080', 'text': 'inconvenience. The Carter'}, {'start': '160.319', 'end': '164.080', 'text': 'administration, taking office a few'}, {'start': '162.080', 'end': '166.160', 'text': 'months after the attack, imposed some'}, {'start': '164.080', 'end': '167.760', 'text': 'mild sanctions despite calls within the'}, {'start': '166.160', 'end': '170.400', 'text': 'State Department for a much stiffer'}, {'start': '167.760', 'end': '172.400', 'text': 'response and a classified CIA report'}, {'start': '170.400', 'end': '175.519', 'text': 'that Pinish had personally ordered the'}, {'start': '172.400', 'end': '177.440', 'text': 'attack on US soil. After 2 years of'}, {'start': '175.519', 'end': '179.680', 'text': 'investigation, the FBI uncovered a'}, {'start': '177.440', 'end': '181.519', 'text': 'person of interest. They had a photo'}, {'start': '179.680', 'end': '183.920', 'text': 'which they leaked to the public despite'}, {'start': '181.519', 'end': '186.000', 'text': 'little evidence on hand, and the gamble'}, {'start': '183.920', 'end': '188.480', 'text': 'paid off. The photo was of Michael'}, {'start': '186.000', 'end': '190.319', 'text': 'Townley, an iaborn American who had'}, {'start': '188.480', 'end': '192.280', 'text': 'lived periodically in Chile throughout'}, {'start': '190.319', 'end': '194.720', 'text': 'his life and was by then living in'}, {'start': '192.280', 'end': '196.640', 'text': 'Santiago. The US embassy made contact'}, {'start': '194.720', 'end': '198.879', 'text': 'with Townley who possibly somewhat'}, {'start': '196.640', 'end': '200.959', 'text': 'naively agreed to meet with them.'}, {'start': '198.879', 'end': '203.120', 'text': "Pinish's government was unconcerned with"}, {'start': '200.959', 'end': '205.840', 'text': 'Townley, who had no official position in'}, {'start': '203.120', 'end': '207.519', 'text': 'Chile and was a convenient scapegoat.'}, {'start': '205.840', 'end': '209.040', 'text': 'However, after he was allowed to be'}, {'start': '207.519', 'end': '211.040', 'text': 'extradited to the US for the'}, {'start': '209.040', 'end': '212.959', 'text': 'investigation, Townley confessed and'}, {'start': '211.040', 'end': '215.360', 'text': 'named two members of Dena, General'}, {'start': '212.959', 'end': '217.519', 'text': 'Manuel Contreras and Colonel Pedro'}, {'start': '215.360', 'end': '219.760', 'text': 'Espininoza as having given him the'}, {'start': '217.519', 'end': '221.599', 'text': 'orders to kill Latellier. He further'}, {'start': '219.760', 'end': '223.360', 'text': 'implicated five others, a group of'}, {'start': '221.599', 'end': '225.440', 'text': 'right-wing Cuban acquaintances who had'}, {'start': '223.360', 'end': '227.440', 'text': 'helped surveil Latellier, drive Townley'}, {'start': '225.440', 'end': '228.959', 'text': "out to plant the bomb on Latellier's"}, {'start': '227.440', 'end': '230.720', 'text': 'car, and the morning of the'}, {'start': '228.959', 'end': '232.720', 'text': 'assassination flipped the switch to'}, {'start': '230.720', 'end': '234.319', 'text': 'detonate the bomb. Townley was'}, {'start': '232.720', 'end': '236.239', 'text': 'eventually sentenced to 10 years in'}, {'start': '234.319', 'end': '238.159', 'text': 'prison for the assassination, but was'}, {'start': '236.239', 'end': '240.360', 'text': 'released after just five due to time'}, {'start': '238.159', 'end': '242.640', 'text': 'already served in his cooperation with'}, {'start': '240.360', 'end': '244.959', 'text': "authorities. After the end of Pineset's"}, {'start': '242.640', 'end': '246.400', 'text': 'rule in 1990, the Dena officials, who'}, {'start': '244.959', 'end': '248.239', 'text': 'had ordered Townley to assassinate'}, {'start': '246.400', 'end': '249.840', 'text': 'Latellier, were both convicted of their'}, {'start': '248.239', 'end': '251.840', 'text': 'involvement and sentenced to six and'}, {'start': '249.840', 'end': '253.760', 'text': 'seven years in prison. Meanwhile,'}, {'start': '251.840', 'end': '255.840', 'text': "Latellier's assistant at the time of his"}, {'start': '253.760', 'end': '257.519', 'text': 'assassination, Juan Gabrielle Valdez,'}, {'start': '255.840', 'end': '259.359', 'text': 'the man that he had offered a ride to'}, {'start': '257.519', 'end': '260.799', 'text': 'the morning of his death, would go on to'}, {'start': '259.359', 'end': '262.960', 'text': "serve as Chile's ambassador to the"}, {'start': '260.799', 'end': '264.880', 'text': 'United Nations in the early 2000s and'}, {'start': '262.960', 'end': '266.639', 'text': "twice serve as Chile's ambassador to the"}, {'start': '264.880', 'end': '268.720', 'text': 'United States, where he would commute'}, {'start': '266.639', 'end': '270.960', 'text': 'down the very same road his boss had all'}, {'start': '268.720', 'end': '272.880', 'text': 'those years ago. With the benefit of'}, {'start': '270.960', 'end': '274.880', 'text': "hindsight, it's easy to be critical of"}, {'start': '272.880', 'end': '276.479', 'text': 'the American response to the attack. I'}, {'start': '274.880', 'end': '278.240', 'text': "don't think there's much to justify the"}, {'start': '276.479', 'end': '280.080', 'text': "Carter administration's milktoast"}, {'start': '278.240', 'end': '282.080', 'text': 'reaction. At the same time, the'}, {'start': '280.080', 'end': '283.759', 'text': 'assassination of Orlando Latellier and'}, {'start': '282.080', 'end': '285.520', 'text': 'Ronnie Moffett shows us just how'}, {'start': '283.759', 'end': '287.840', 'text': 'different the mindset was during that'}, {'start': '285.520', 'end': '290.000', 'text': 'part of the Cold War. Latellier sought'}, {'start': '287.840', 'end': '291.759', 'text': 'refuge in the United States despite its'}, {'start': '290.000', 'end': '294.160', 'text': 'backing of the government that wanted'}, {'start': '291.759', 'end': '296.160', 'text': 'his head. The Tellier was able to keep a'}, {'start': '294.160', 'end': '297.919', 'text': 'high profile as a critic of the Pinish'}, {'start': '296.160', 'end': '299.759', 'text': 'regime. And it was this tension and'}, {'start': '297.919', 'end': '301.840', 'text': 'hypocrisy between the freedom of speech'}, {'start': '299.759', 'end': '303.919', 'text': 'the US had fostered domestically and the'}, {'start': '301.840', 'end': '306.000', 'text': 'authoritarianism it had fostered abroad'}, {'start': '303.919', 'end': '308.479', 'text': 'that the deaths of Latalier and Mafett'}, {'start': '306.000', 'end': '310.000', 'text': 'exposed for all to see. We would do well'}, {'start': '308.479', 'end': '311.600', 'text': 'to remember that the more our'}, {'start': '310.000', 'end': '313.759', 'text': 'governments choose to turn their back on'}, {'start': '311.600', 'end': '316.160', 'text': 'abuses abroad, the more likely they are'}, {'start': '313.759', 'end': '318.479', 'text': 'to foster those kinds of abuses at home'}, {'start': '316.160', 'end': '320.880', 'text': 'as well as these sorts of attacks. And'}, {'start': '318.479', 'end': '323.880', 'text': "that's as true in 2025 as it was in"}, {'start': '320.880', 'end': '323.880', 'text': '1976.'}]