According the BBC and numerous news sources Augusto Pinochet has now stated that he took political responsibility for everything that happened during his 18 years in power. In the statement read by his wife on the occasion his 91st birthday, he defended his bloody 1973 coup, saying he had acted in Chile's best interests.
More than 3,000 people were killed or "disappeared" while Gen Pinochet was in power from 1973 to 1990. "Today, near the end of my days, I want to say that I harbour no rancour against anybody, that I love my fatherland above all," the statement read by his wife Lucia Hiriart said. "I take political responsibility for everything that was done."
The general said his bloody overthrow of the democratically-elected Salvador Allende had "no other motive than to make Chile a great place and prevent its disintegration". His statement condemned the ongoing trials of military officers, including himself, for the human rights abuses committed under his rule. He said they had prevented a political and economic crisis. "Thanks to their courage and decision, Chile moved from the totalitarian threat to the full democracy which we restored and which all our compatriots enjoy."
Pinochet enjoys legal immunity as a former president, but the courts can strip him of this privilege on a case-by-case basis. This has happened in a number of human rights and financial cases. But lawyers have argued he is too infirm to stand trial.
Even though he was a a petty tyrant - his atrocities were small beer compared to those of Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Hitler and Pol Pot - it is a shame that Pinochet has not brought to trial for the crimes that took place during his regime. A golden opportunity slipped through our fingers in the late 90s. No matter what justification that falls from his mouth, torture and state murder cannot be condoned under any circumstance.
Although it is pretty likely that he will go to his grave unpunished some satisfaction can be derived from the fact that Chile is now run by Michelle Bachelet who, along with her family, was a victim of his ugly regime.
Augusto Pinochet
2 comments:
Have you heard the song by Sting commemorating Pinochet's terror in "We Dance Alone?" That song makes me all weepy.
Ultimately, nobody escapes punishment for this sort of horrific crimes against humanity. It just may not be exacted while Pinochet is on this mortal coil, is all.
hmm when I see people like Pinochet I really would like there to be an afterlife where bastards like him got his just desserts...
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