143. Telegram 4802 From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State1
4802. Subject: Approach to Foreign Office on Missing American Citizens Horman and Teruggi. Ref: Santiago 4715.
1. I had opportunity last night to talk to Ricardo Claro. Claro brought up the GOC’s concern over what it had heard about the rider, sponsored by Senator Kennedy and approved by the Senate, to aid legislation. I used the opportunity to point out to Claro that it would be helpful if the GOC were able to clear up the mysteries involved in the cases of the two missing or deceased Amcits. I pointed out the unexplained fact that Teruggi had reportedly been released from the National Stadium and then his body appeared at the morgue shortly thereafter—brought by military authorities. Moreover, the GOC had reported him still detained a day or two later. I also pointed out that neighbors of Horman had seen him detained by persons in military uniforms, but the military authorities continued to deny that he had ever been detained. I asked that other unanswered questions—such as autopsy results, nature of wounds on Teruggi’s body, etc.—be answered fully in both cases. Claro agreed that these important points needed to be cleared up and indicated he would talk as soon as possible with Admiral Huerta in order to put more pressure on the appropriate military authorities to try to get the full facts on both cases. He promised to report back to me as soon as possible.
[Page 393]2. Claro called me again today and said that the appropriate authorities would be in touch with me very shortly in the Teruggi and Horman cases.
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Summary: Ambassador Davis reported on his meeting the previous evening with Ricardo Claro regarding their discussion of Charles Horman and Frank Teruggi.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Immediate. Claro was a Chilean lawyer, businessman, and professor of political economy with close ties to the military junta who also served as an economic adviser in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In telegram 4715 from Santiago, September 29, the Embassy reviewed the available information on Horman and Teruggi. Davis also noted: “I took occasion of call by Admiral Huidobro, chief of staff of military junta, to raise Teruggi and Horman cases once again and to urge that gov[ernment] exert every effort to find out what happened to them. Huidobro said GOC had already made exhaustive search in Horman case—including loud speaker announcements in all places of detention. He was less familiar with Teruggi case, but promised to go through all possible procedures, including computer file check, and leave no stone unturned. As Department aware, this approach to Huidobro follows my earlier approaches to FonMin Huerta and Ambassador-Designate Heitmann.” (Ibid.) The Embassy later reported that Steven Volk, a U.S. citizen and friend of Teruggi, visited the morgue with consular officials on October 2 and identified one of the unclaimed bodies as Teruggi. (Telegram 4787 from Santiago, October 2; ibid.)
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