The Cuban revolution of 1959 prompted a new wave of anti-Communism in Latin America, reaffirming the Chilean government's decision to stay clear of Soviet influence and relations.

The victory of Allende's Unidad Popular, a coalition of Socialist, Communist, and miscellaneous leftist parties, demonstrated that perhaps Chile's government was ideologically and politically closer to the Soviet Union than any other South American country.

Allende's government needed more financial aid, not joint projects in fishing and housing, to solve balance-of-payments problems.

Lastly, the Soviet Union offered some forms of technical assistance in order to construct factories, oil production, and to operate the nationalized copper mines.

The Soviet Union was increasingly unwilling to allow Chilean revolutionary process destroy its new détente with the United States.

[7] Allende and leader of the Chilean Communist Party Luis Corvalán met in December 1972 with Leonid Brezhnev, Alexi Kosygin, and Nikolai Podgorny.

[8] Allende tried to persuade Soviet leaders of this plan by arguing the idea of his country being a “silent Vietnam” in a futile attempt to invoke anti-American sentiment.

The initial Soviet response was cautious (as the USSR had not previously severed relations with Latin American countries where right-wing juntas had seized power).

The Soviet Union responded strongly by offering aid to persecuted members and supporters of Allende's previous administration and by denouncing the Chilean government as fascist.

[3] In 1976, one of the symbolic events of the Cold War took place: the Chilean regime had decided to release Luis Corvalan, the Communist Party leader from prison, and on the advice of the US (which was acting as an intermediary, as Chile and the USSR had no diplomatic relations), they demanded in turn the release of Vladimir Bukovsky, a Soviet political prisoner.