Data Library - Interview with Fernando Matthei The whole interview is there in Spanish, but only portions are translated into English. The English portions are copied below. Someone else can translate the Spanish if they wish, some covers the Nimrods and the C-130s, which also transmitted via Easter Island.
During October 2007, I was sent this transcript of an interview given by Chilean Air Force General, Mr. Fernando Matthei on July 1999 who was C-in-C of the Chilean Air Force (FACH) and member of the Military Junta that ruled Chile between September 1973 until March 1990. It was originally published in a Chilean local newspaper 'La Tercera'. I have included the original Spainish text and English translation (in italics) for most of the interview.
What is the origin of this help and what was your role?
In first place I have to say that this war was a surprise to everybody. I learned myself reading "El Mercurio" (Chilean Newspaper). We knew there was a chance this war might materialize but I never thought the Argentineans were that crazy. Years after the war, I spoke with a friend, former C in C of the Argentianian Air Force, Mr Omar Grafina Rubens, and he didn't know about it as well. He just retired and his successor was Mr. Arturo Basilio Lami Dozo. Even in a meeting where he did participate they kept him aside. I have to admit that was a very well kept secret. Nobody knew about it. They took the British by surprise and to us Chileans as well.
What was yours and the goverment's reaction?
Take notice of it and remain alert. Two days later my chief of intelligence, General Vicente Rodriguez, told me an English officer sent by the RAF would like to meet me. I told him I was ok. It was Wing Commander Sidney Edwards, a character that didn't look Englishman at all and spoke perfect Spanish.
Can you describe this gentleman?
He was a young man, around 35-40 years old. Very active and nervous, he was full of adrenaline. He came with a letter from Sir David Great, C in C of the RAF asking if we could help them. He was fully empowered to coordinate anything that we could do together. This sounded very interesting to me. Their main interest was to gather intelligence information. The British never worried about Argentina; they knew everything about the Soviet Union but they knew nothing about Argentina. Edwards asked me if we could help them. I told him I couldn't act on my own and I would discuss with General Pinochet (member of the military junta and de facto head of state).
Did you talk with Pinochet about this "offer"?
I spoke with him in very general terms, telling him we had a great opportunity here. We didn't care if the Argentineans were at war with British because then, as Galtieri said, we would be the next ones. We were just digesting the speech given at Plaza de Mayo where in front of the people he mentioned Malvinas will be just the start. He looked like Mussolini.
Were you worried about this speech?
We worried that after the islands they would attack us. After all, they believed some of our territories belonged to them. In principle, Pinochet agreed I worked with them but nobody should know. We wouldn't even mention this to our foreign office.
Did the Navy or Army got a similar request?
No
Why do you think the British choose the Air Force?
Good question. They knew me because I was Air Force attaché in UK between December 1971 and January 1974.
They took advantage of the personal relationship then?
I visited their industries of war material and I had contact with British senior officers. While I was there, I signed contracts to buy six Hawker Hunter and six Vampires. They knew me, we had a fluid relationship. Been at London, I went to the Soviet Union, I gave the British a copy of the visit's report I gave to the FACH. They knew I was their friend, although Chile, ruled at that time by a socialist government, was considered by them a member of the "East block".
What did you do after meeting Pinochet?
We agreed to keep it secret and then I met Sidney Edwards again telling him I was fully empowered on this subject and we would operate under my criteria. Edwards told me that British Embassy nor the navy attaché should know about his existence. Edwards went to England then to discuss what they could do with us. Upon his return, he asked for intelligence.
What would Chile get in return?
They will sell us, at one pound, Hawker Hunters. These would arrive by plane immediately. Also a long range radar, air-air misiles, and aerial recon Canberra aircraft. This material was very important, especially the Canberras because we didn't have any before. They fly very high, like the Americans U-2 and they have huge cameras. Also, they would send us a 'Moondrop', specialized in intelligence, communications and electronic espionage. It was very much like a passenger 707 but modified.
And the Argentinean spies?
There were no Argentinean spies and we didn't have spies in Argentina either. With this plane we did high altitude flights over Chilean Territory, getting signals from the other side. Ours, because of the Andes and type of plane, couldn't fly that high in order to gather signals.
Who piloted the plane?
The British, although we had our observers on board. They gave us the necessary information about the Argentineans but nothing we didn't know before. This flight didn't help us, but was done, so for the story, is good to know. The British were impressed for what they saw thru our systems in the south and the long range radar we had in Punta Arenas.
You spied with that radar to the other side?
This one was bought to France and had a range of 200 miles. We installed it in a little hill. On the ground we had numerous listening posts to check all radio communications in Argentina. We also had, from before, an underground command post close to Punta Arenas. All the information arrived there in a very graphic format, like a cinema. It is there where Sydney Edwards remained.
How did Edwards send the information to his senior officers?
He had satellite communications directly with the Royal Navy central command in Northwood, close to London. What happened here the British knew immediately.
The British couldn't get a better ally?
Impossible. We told them, for example, that four planes left a specific base, in which direction and that because of their speed, they were Mirage apparently. One hour before they arrived, the British knew already.
How long did it last?
The whole war. At the end, we kept the plane, radars, misiles and planes. They [the British] got on-time information and everybody was satisfied.
'Thank you and goodbye'?
Of course. And Sidney Albert Edwards was fired the next day for personal reasons. Later I learned he was involved in arms contraband with Croatia.
British Commandos in Punta Arenas
The only tangible proof that Chile had to do something with England during the conflict, was the chapter of a Helicopter that had an emergency landing close to Punta Arenas and its crew was rescued by Chilean Police.
One day Sidney Edwards came to confess that a British chopper landed in Chilean territory. I asked him what happened, in lieu of our agreement that they will not make any military operation to Argentina from Chilean territory and that no plane operated against Argentina would land in Chile. That was the fundamental agreement we had.
What happened?
They organize an operation, not from commandos but "ultra" commandos, to destroy the Super Etendard planes of the Argentinean Navy who where capable to operate Exocet. The British knew Argentinean had six Exocet and they already corroborated their capabilities: with just one of them they sunk the Sheffield one day after they sunk the Belgrano. But the commandos got lost and they didn't find anything better that land in Chile. They did it west of Punta Arenas, close to a road in an opening in the woods. As soon as they touched ground they burned the chopper and although nobody saw them land, the smoke alerted the police.
What happened to the commandos?
After burning the aircraft they alerted Sidney Edwards on the radio in order to see what to do. I answered that they had to go to our air base where a Chilean intelligence officer would meet them. They would be given plainclothes and they would be flown to Santiago in a commercial flight. That was exactly what happened. They should've been interned in Chile because that is the law but I did offer them another alternative. This is why Ms. Thatcher also mentioned about saving human life.
Did the Argentineans learn about the incident?
Yes and we had to give them lengthy explanations, swearing that we didn't know anything about it. I don't know if they did believe us or not but honestly I got angered about this issue and I had to face Pinochet telling him "look what these stupid did". The General had to alert the our Foreign Office and give explanations.
General Matthei also gave a TV interview to Chile's National Channel along similar lines in September 2005 -
see Chilean General Did Everything to Help the British Win in 1982 (external link)