Objective/Context:

This article seeks to analyze the influence exerted by the transition to democracy in Spain in sectors of the Chilean opposition to the civil-military dictatorship led by General Pinochet. This influence manifested through visits by Spanish politicians to Chile, and also by the positive view of the Spanish transition to democracy by a large part of the Chilean opposition.

Originality:

This article contributes to our understanding of transitional processes from a multidimensional perspective. In this case, it examines the degree to which an external factor can influence the positions of the leading political actors in a democratic transition.

Methodology:

To do this, we will review periodical publications that provide accounts of visits by Spanish politicians to Chile, as well as examining the documentation at the Eduardo Frei Montalva Foundation Archive and memoirs by Chilean politicians involved with the Spanish transitional experience.

Conclusions:

We conclude that, in general terms, during democratization or other forms of political opening led by sectors of the political elites, the influence of international actors becomes relevant in determining political positions or in forming alliances. In the Chilean case, the Spanish experience was seen as a successful model of a peaceful regime change, and the majority of the Chilean opposition would have considered it as a point of reference in their own discussions on exit alternatives for dictatorship.

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