Merino, Jose Toribio (Admiral)

Studying and starting a service

Jose Toribio Merino Castro is a hereditary sailor. Born in the family of Vice Admiral Jose Toribio Merino Saavedra. Since childhood, traveled to Europe, as his father led the Chilean military delegation to the League of Nations . He lived in Geneva , Paris , studied at a London school, then again in France.

In 1930 he returned to Chile. In 1931 he entered the Naval Academy. He graduated from the course in 1936 with the rank of midshipman . He participated in the two-month expedition of the Maipo tanker on the route Valparaiso - Easter Island - San Diego - Los Angeles - Valparaiso. He completed an internship on the General Bakedano corvette and the Almirante Latorre battleship. Two years he served at the naval base in Talcahuano.

At the end of 1941 Merino was engaged in communication research in Tierra del Fuego . He returned to Valparaiso after the death of his father. He served as a naval gunner on the Blanco Encalada II cruiser. In March 1943 he received an officer post at Almirante Latorre.

World War II Volunteer

Jose Toribio Merino participated in the Second World War on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition . In 1944 - 1945 he served as a volunteer in the US Navy at the Pacific theater of operations ^[1] . As a naval gunner participated in naval battles with the Japanese and in ground operations.

Naval Commander

In September 1945, Merino returned to Chile. In 1950 , the rank of captain-lieutenant was again appointed to the battleship Almirante Latorre . The following year, transferred to the cruiser O'Higgins (II) . In 1952 - 1954 - commander of the Papudo corvette. In 1954 he taught logistics and geopolitics at the Naval Academy. In 1955 - 1958 - Deputy Chilean naval attache in the UK .

Since 1958 he served in the General Staff of the Navy of Chile . In 1959 - 1960 he commanded the Angamos military transport ship. In 1960 he inspected the naval education system. He wrote a number of works on naval affairs and geopolitics.

In 1962 he commanded the destroyer Almirante Williams . In 1963 - chief of staff of the commander in chief of the fleet, in 1964 - deputy chief of the general staff of the Navy.

Conflict with Argentina

At high naval posts, Merino paid special attention to the Chilean-Argentine conflict in the Beagle Channel . Adhered to a tough stance, advocated for a preemptive strike on the Argentinean fleet. This position did not meet President Frey's understanding. In 1966, Merino presided over the Chilean legal group, preparing the case of sovereignty over the Beagle in an international court.

The Secret Sea Brotherhood

In August 1968, Merino was one of the founders of the "Marine Brotherhood of the Pacific South." Formally, the organization’s goal was to develop water sports and protect marine ecology. In fact, the “Brotherhood” was a secret society of radical right-wing nationalists ^[2] , a kind of narrow-elite version of the populist homeland and freedom . A group of military men, businessmen, politicians and scientists united ideologists of corporatism and Greekism , like-minded people Jaime Guzman Errasuris ^[3] , adherents of Augusto Pinochet’s geopolitical explorations.

In 1970 - 1973 , the Maritime Brotherhood, one of whose leaders was Jose Toribio Merino ^[4] , played a prominent role in the opposition of Chilean right forces to the left government . The organization was related to terrorist attacks, military conspiracies, maintained contacts with the CIA .

Rush of Rebellion

In March 1972, Jose Toribio Merino was appointed commander of the naval zone of Valparaiso. He took an active part in disarming the militants of the MIR and other left organizations, according to the law on arms control. He led the intelligence unit, which systematized information about left-wing radical groups.

In the Chilean fleet, there was a strong military opposition to the government of Salvador Allende . It was purposefully consolidated by Admiral Merino, severely suppressing and isolating the sailors loyal to the government ^[5] . In August 1973, Merino demanded the arrest of Socialist Senator Carlos Altamirano and his assistant Oscar Guillermo Garreto for "incitement to rebellion."

On September 9, 1973, Admiral Merino met with Generals Pinochet and Lee . The plan to overthrow President Allende was finally adjusted.

September Revolution Ideologist

On September 11, 1973, a naval rebellion in Valparaiso under the command of Admiral Merino launched a military coup . Merino dismissed Admiral Raul Montero, loyal to Allende, and assumed the command of the Navy. It was he who was the main author of the declaration of the military junta. The document said that the armed forces cannot remain indifferent in the context of an impending national disaster and intend to restore the rule of law in the country ^[6] , to protect Chileans from the terror of left-wing extremists.

Of all the members of the military junta of the first composition, Admiral Merino was closest in opinion to General Pinochet. General Lee leaned toward neo-fascism , General Mendoza had little interest in conceptual issues. Merino fully shared the basic principles of Pinochet (although, like Lee, he was dissatisfied with the sole style of Pinochet's rule): authoritarian conservatism in domestic politics, Chile's regional dominance on the Southern Cone , neoliberalism in the economy. It is logical that only Merino remained in the junta for the entire period of military rule, from 1973 to 1990 (Lee resigned in 1978 , Mendoza in 1985 ; Pinochet took over as president in 1974 and was not formally a member of the junta since 1981 ).

In 1981 - 1990, Merino formally presided over the junta, the legislature under President Pinochet.

Neoliberal Reformer

Jose Toribio Merino oversaw the economic policy of the Chilean junta. He initiated the first package of reform laws - on liberalization of prices and interest rates, on a single currency space, on the reprivatization of nationalized enterprises, and on attracting foreign investment ^[7] . Subsequently, on his initiative, the procedure for housing lending was liberalized, and a law on pension reform was passed. The economic doctrine of Merino in the main parameters is still being implemented in Chile.

In 1980, the military regime introduced the new constitution of Chile. On March 11, 1981, Merino led the military government while simultaneously taking the chair of the legislative committee.

In the early 1980s, the global economic crisis painfully affected the Chilean economy. As part of anti-crisis measures, Merino modernized the financial system, introduced government guarantees for bank deposits and savings, and reduced customs tariffs on imports. He also introduced new legislation on the merchant fleet and on fishing. Performing certain maneuvers, Pinochet and Merino firmly maintained the foundations of the neoliberal course.

Admiral's “Press Tuesdays”

When he was chairman of the government junta, from 1983 Merino introduced regular (on Tuesdays) meetings with media representatives. Weekly press conferences were actively used to promote government decisions. The relaxed style of their conduct, the demonstrative frankness of the answers, bordering on “black humor”, were noted.

I am a sailor, not a politician. I can say what I think.
Jose Toribio Merino ^[8]

José Toribio Merino resigned from military service and government posts on March 8, 1990 ( on March 11, 1990, General Pinochet was replaced by the democratically elected President Patricio Aylvin ). Retired, Merino took up memoirs, painting, photography, and breeding seabirds.

May 21, 1996 - the Day of the Navy of Chile - there was information about the death of Admiral Merino. Even a funeral was announced, but information about the death of the admiral was false. Merino passed away at a naval hospital three months later.

In connection with the death of Jose Toribio Merino, a three-day mourning was declared in Chile. The funeral at the naval cemetery in Valparaiso was held with the return of state honors ^[9] , according to the official protocol. A lot of Chileans lined up along the funeral procession in order to honor the memory of the admiral ^[10] .

On the other hand, the installation of the monument to Jose Toribio Merino in Valparaiso in 2002 provoked protests from the left public ^[11] .

The memoirs of Jose Toribio Merino saw the light two years after his death. Admiral Merino's exposition is presented at the Valparaiso Naval Museum ^[12] .

• Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (1975) ^[13]