Camilo Valenzuela

Who is Camilo Valenzuela?

Camilo Valenzuela was a Chilean General and chief of the garrison in Santiago de Chile. In 1970 he led a group that with intent to stop the newly elected Salvador Allende from being inaugurated as president, tried to kidnap constitutionalist Army Commander-in-Chief René Schneider.

General Camilo Valenzuela met with other heads of the armed forces of Chile, previously contacted by the CIA or ONI, as Admiral José Toribio Merino. Other officials contacted were the Admiral Hugo Tirado, General of Carabineros Vicente Huerta Celis, Colonel Igualt and a group of civilians.

On October 19, 1970, the group, supplied with tear gas grenades delivered by the CIA, made an attempt to kidnap Schneider as he was leaving a bachelor party. But the attempt failed because Schneider left in a private car and not the expected official vehicle.

A second attempt October 20 was also unsuccessful. The CIA assured Valenzuela that "USG support for anti-Allende action continues." But they also concluded: "since Valenzuela’s group is apparently having considerable difficulty executing even the first step of its coup plan, the prospect for a coup succeeding or even occurring before 24 October [the day for the Congressional vote] now appears remote."