Chile–Sweden relations

Chile–Sweden relations refers to the diplomatic relations between Chile and Sweden. Both nations enjoy friendly relations, the importance of which centers on the history of Chilean migration to Sweden during the 1970s. Approximately 100,000[1] Chileans and their descendants reside in Sweden, making the country home to the third largest Chilean diaspora community (after Argentina and the United States).[2] Both countries are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Chile-Sweden relations

Chile	Sweden

History

Early relations

Swedish migration to Chile initiated in the late 1700s and early 1800s when Chile was still a part of the Spanish Empire. One notable Swede was Mateo Arnaldo Höevel who fought for Chile during the independence wars and introduced the printing press to the country.[3] In 1827, the Union between Sweden and Norway recognized and established diplomatic relations with a newly independent Chile and signed a Treaty of Friendship.[4][5] Between 1851–1853, Swedish frigate HSwMS Eugenie became the first Swedish warship to circumnavigate the globe, on a voyage intended to promote Swedish trade. During that time period, the Eugenie called on the port city of Valparaíso.

Salvador Allende and the Chilean coup d'état

In 1915, Chilean diplomat Agustín Edwards Mac-Clure became the first ambassador to Sweden.[6] In 1969, Swedish Minister of Education (and future Prime Minister) Olof Palme traveled to Chile and met with several Chilean government officials and future Chilean Nobel Prize recipient, Pablo Neruda.[7] In November 1970, Salvador Allende was elected President of Chile, the first from a socialist party. In 1970 Sweden approved providing Chile with development assistance. In 1971, Chile received from Sweden one million and a half Swedish krona. That same year, both nations signed agreements for Chile to purchase weapons and old Swedish warship. In 1972, Chile received 25 million Swedish krona in aide.[7]

In 1972, Swedish ambassador Harald Edelstam arrived to Chile to take up his new post. On 11 September 1973, the government of President Allende suffered a coup d'état by General Augusto Pinochet who was backed by the government of the United States. President Allende was declared to have committed suicide during the coup and General Pinochet took over the government and became the new President of the country. Immediately, President Pinochet began arresting, torturing and executing followers of President Allende. During this time, thousands of Chileans sought refuge in mainly European and Latin American embassies in the Chilean capital.[8] Under Ambassador Edelstam, Sweden opened its doors to asylee seekers. More than 500 Chileans, 54 Uruguayans and some Cubans received refugee in the Swedish embassy.[9] By the end of Pinochet's presidency, more than 40,000 Chileans immigrated to Sweden as political asylees.[10] In December 1973, ambassador Edlestam was declared persona non grata by the Chilean government. When Edlestam was deported from Chile, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme declared that there would not be a Swedish ambassador in Chile until democracy was restored in the country, which did not happen until 1990.[7]

Present relations

When Chile returned to democracy in 1990, both nations normalized relations and accredited ambassadors to their respective governments. In 1990, Chilean President Patricio Aylwin paid a visit to Sweden.[11] In 1996, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden paid an official visit to Chile and met with President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle.[12] In March 2016, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was offered a state visit to Sweden by invitation of the King. During her visit, President Bachelet laid a wreath on the tomb of former Prime Minister Olof Palme who played a decisive role in accepting Chilean refugees to Sweden. President Bachelet also met with business leaders and members of the Chilean community in Sweden.[13]

High-level visits

State visit of President Michelle Bachelet to Sweden; 2016

High-level visits from Chile to Sweden[14][15][16]

• President Patricio Aylwin (1990)
• President Ricardo Lagos (2002, 2005)
• President Michelle Bachelet (2016)

High-level visits from Sweden to Chile[17]

• King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (1996)
• Prime Minister Göran Persson (2003)
• Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt (2011)

Bilateral relations

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements, such as an Agreement on Trade (1953); Air Transport Agreement (1957); Agreement on Cooperation and Friendship (1991); Agreement on Social Security (1995); Agreement to Implement Horizontal Cooperation and Economic Cooperation for Development (1998); Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation (2004); Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Green Technologies and Sustainable Urban Development (2011); Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Sustainable Forest Management (2011); Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable and Innovative Mining Cooperation (2011) and a Memorandum of Understanding on Corporate Social Responsibility Cooperation (2012).[18][19]

Trade

Building hosting the Embassy of Chile in Stockholm

In 2002, Chile signed a free trade agreement with the European Union (which includes Sweden). In 2016, trade between Chile and Sweden totaled $481 million USD.[20] Chile's main exports to Sweden include: Copper, wine, lumber and fruits. Sweden's main exports to Chile include: Machinery and transport equipment, manufactured equipment, chemicals and related products, food and live animals, beverages and tobacco.[21][20] Swedish multinational companies such as AstraZeneca, Ericsson, H&M, Saab Group and Volvo operate in Chile. Chile is Sweden's third largest trading partner in Latin America.[21]

Resident diplomatic missions

• Chile has an embassy in Stockholm and a consulate in Gothenburg.[22]
• Sweden has an embassy in Santiago.[23]

See also

• Chilean Swedes

References

1. "Chile". Wiki-Rötter (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 February 2020.
2. Chile's Bachelet Thanks Sweden for Help During Dictatorship
3. Höevel, Mateo Arnaldo (in Spanish)
4. Historia diplomática de Chile (1541-1938) (in Spanish)
5. Declaración conjunta de la Presidenta Michelle Bachelet y el Primer Ministro Stefan Löfven (in Spanish)
6. Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Ambassador to Sweden (in Spanish)
7. Las relaciones entre Chile y Suecia durante el primer gobierno de Olof Palme, 1969-1976 (in Spanish)
8. Camacho Padilla, Fernando. "Los asilados de las embajadas de Europa Occidental en Chile tras el golpe militar y sus consecuencias diplomáticas: El caso de Suecia". European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies (in Spanish). 81. doi:10.18352/erlacs.9646.
9. Harald Edelstam, el embajador que salvó a cientos de personas tras el golpe militar (in Spanish)
10. Camacho Padilla, Fernando (2011). Una vida para Chile. La solidaridad y la comunidad chilena en Suecia (in Spanish). Santiago: LOM Impresiones. ISBN 9789163382420.
11. Una Visita de Miel y Agraz: Bachelet llega a Suecia invitada por el Rey (in Spanish)
12. Nace la Alianza del Pacífico Nace Alianza del Pacífico bajo los cielos transparentes de Paranal (in Spanish)
13. Minuto a minuto: Así fue la visita de la Presidenta a Suecia y el Reino Unido (in Spanish)
14. El Presidente Ricardo Lagos llegó a Finlandia (in Spanish)
15. Presidente chileno Ricardo Lagos inicia gira a Suecia, Holanda y España (in Spanish)
16. Presidenta de Chile Michelle Bachelet inició visita oficial a Suecia con recepción al Palacio Real (in Spanish)
17. Primer ministro sueco visita Chile en un intento por relanzar la "Tercera Vía" (in Spanish)
18. Agreements and Treaties between Chile and Sweden
19. Tratados firmados entre Chile y Suecia (in Spanish)
20. "Comercio Bilateral: Chile-Suecia (in Spanish)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-14. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
21. Capturing the Chilean Opportunity
22. Embassy of Chile in Stockholm
23. Embassy of Sweden in Santiago