The state visit of Fidel Castro to Chile in 1971 was a landmark event both for Chilean internal politics and for the foreign relations of Cuba.
The state visit was unprecedented as Castro stayed 23 days[1] in the country, travelling it from north to south, and commenting on Chilean politics.
[3] His visit ended up making Salvador Allende uncomfortable while the Chilean right-wing exploited it to discredit the Unidad Popular government.
[2] The days that followed Castro travelled first to the Norte Grande where he visited Antofagasta, Iquique, the Saltpeter Works of Santa Elena (the cradle of the Chilean labour movement) and the newly nationalized copper mine of Chuquicamata.
[2][3][A] Castro met then again with Allende at Puerto Montt where both embarked on the destroyer Riveros and sailed south, across the Patagonian channels, to arrive at Punta Arenas.
[5] Castro praised various aspects of Chile during his visit including its landscapes and political culture which he held to be superior to that of pre-revolutionary Cuba.