Carlos Cardoen

Entrance to Colchagua Museum, owned by the Cardoen Foundation. Carlos Remigio Cardoen Cornejo (born 1 May 1942, Santa Cruz, Chile) is a Chilean agricultural and tourism businessman, metallurgical engineer and former arms manufacturer.

Cardoen rose to prominence in the 1980's amidst the United States arms embargo against Chile, when he became "Pinochet's favourite arms manufacturer". On various occasions Cardoen has received support from National Congress and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to end the Interpol arrest warrant. Yet, Cardoen claims the United States, which in the 1980s supported Hussein's Iraq in its war against Iran, was aware and implicitly consented to this trade until Saddam Hussein fell out of favour.

In the mid-1980 Cardoen bought the Italian swimmer delivery vehicle and minisub manufacturer Cos.Mo.S. His attempts to sell the firm under the table to Iraq ended in scandal and the closure of the company. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but he was never brought to justice.

Cardoen claims Iraq owes him US$50 million from weapon purchases.

Agriculture and tourism From the 1990s onwards Cardoen has invested capital into the wine, energy, match, fruit juice and tourism businesses in Chile, especially in O'Higgins, his home region. Due to his involvement in cultural and tourism projects he has been awarded the "Premio a lo Chileno" in 2006 and "Orden al Mérito Docente y Cultural Gabriela Mistral" in 2005. He has been suffering from colon cancer for many years.