death of a tyrant

darkcrow

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6167237.stm

Chile's Gen Pinochet dies at 91

Gen Pinochet celebrated his 91st birthday last month
Chile's former military leader Augusto Pinochet has died at the age of 91.
The general entered a Santiago hospital a week ago after a heart attack. He was thought to be recovering when his condition suddenly worsened on Sunday.

Gen Pinochet seized power in a coup against an elected government in 1973. More than 3,000 people were killed or "disappeared" over the next 17 years.

He was accused of dozens of human rights violations and tax evasion but never faced trial due to poor health.

What saddens me is that this criminal has died without having been sentenced

Hugo Gutierrez
Human rights lawyer


Reactions to death
The hospital said Gen Pinochet passed away at 1415 local (1715GMT).

"He died surrounded by his family," the hospital's Dr Juan Ignacio Vergara told reporters.

More details would be made available later, he said.

After suffering his heart attack, he underwent angioplasty surgery to unblock an artery, and received the last rites from a Catholic priest.

HAVE YOUR SAY
I hope my country can find peace after his death. Reconciliation is the key

Veronica, Santiago, Chile


Send us your comments
But in the days afterwards his condition had been thought to be improving.

Chilean newspaper La Tercera de la Hora Online says dozens of supporters who had been keeping a vigil outside the military hospital are weeping and praying following the general's death.

It is expected they will be joined by other supporters as news of his death spreads.

'Loved by many'

Opponents have expressed anger that Gen Pinochet died without justice being done over the charges that had been brought.


Despite his human rights record, the general had staunch supporters

"What saddens me is that this criminal has died without having been sentenced and I believe the responsibility the state bears in this has to be considered", human rights lawyer Hugo Gutierrez told La Tercera Online.

Despite his human rights record, many Chileans loved him and said he saved the country from Marxism.

But even many loyal supporters abandoned him after it became clear in 2004 that he had stolen about $27m in secret offshore bank accounts that were under investigation at the time of his death, the BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Buenos Aires says.

'Political responsibility

In June 1973, Gen Pinochet led the armed forces in a dramatic coup against the democratically elected Marxist government of Salvador Allende.

Close to the end of my days, I want to make clear that I hold no rancour towards anybody, that I love my country above all else

Recent Pinochet statement

The violence of the uprising and the oppression that followed shook the world. He went on to become one of South America's best-known military rulers of the 1970s and 80s.

Earlier in November, Gen Pinochet was placed under house arrest over the abduction of two people in 1973.

The charges - the latest in a series - related to the Caravan of Death, a military operation to remove opponents of his rule.

In a statement read by his wife on his 91st birthday, Gen Pinochet said he accepted "political responsibility" for acts committed during his rule.

"Today, close to the end of my days, I want to make clear that I hold no rancour towards anybody, that I love my country above all else," his statement said.

Byrnzie

He deserves the same kind of reaction to his death as Hitler did. They should burn his body in a trash bin.

darkcrow

unfortunatly the american govt (at the time) and mine (well thatcher) loved him. they brushed aside the fact he murdered thousands.

Byrnzie

darkcrow wrote:

unfortunatly the american govt (at the time) and mine (well thatcher) loved him. they brushed aside the fact he murdered thousands.

I remember an article in the Sunday Telegraph when he was imprisoned over here under house arrest with a quaint little title like 'Tea with Pinochet' which described how Thatcher visited him in his big country mansion - prison - and spent the day drinking tea together and reminiscing over the good old days. The Telegraph painted a very pretty picture of the occasion. I've not touched a copy since.

Uncle Leo

darkcrow wrote:

unfortunatly the american govt (at the time) and mine (well thatcher) loved him. they brushed aside the fact he murdered thousands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_coup_of_1973

mammasan

Well that's one more seat occupied in hell.

chinobaeza

I don't like Pinochet, neither Allende, but people don't tell the whole Chilean history.
The country between 1970-1973 was a chaos. Thousands of Russian's weapons and massive land expropriations. The was no food in Chile while Allende and his friends where living like kings.
People had to wake up at 5 am to get a piece of bread while their houses and farms were expropriated. There were no buses services, trains, public services, etc...they were all on strikes.
Then Pinochet came and stabilized the country, but he made all the horrorifics things that we all now.
Hope that he's having a nice conversation in hell with Allende.

My 2 cents.

PD: sorry for my english

IWillLiveForeve

chinobaeza wrote:

I don't like Pinochet, neither Allende, but people don't tell the whole Chilean history.
The country between 1970-1973 was a chaos. Thousands of Russian's weapons and massive land expropriations. The was no food in Chile while Allende and his friends where living like kings.
People had to wake up at 5 am to get a piece of bread while their houses and farms were expropriated. There were no buses services, trains, public services, etc...they were all on strikes.
Then Pinochet came and stabilized the country, but he made all the horrorifics things that we all now.
Hope that he's having a nice conversation with Allende in hell.

My 2 cents.

PD: sorry for my english

Oh, he's roasting.

Smellyman2

Thought Bush died there for a second.

chinobaeza

Smellyman wrote:

Thought Bush died there for a second.

That would have been "the perfect day"

Max

chinobaeza wrote:

I don't like Pinochet, neither Allende, but people don't tell the whole Chilean history.
The country between 1970-1973 was a chaos. Thousands of Russian's weapons and massive land expropriations. The was no food in Chile while Allende and his friends where living like kings.
People had to wake up at 5 am to get a piece of bread while their houses and farms were expropriated. There were no buses services, trains, public services, etc...they were all on strikes.
Then Pinochet came and stabilized the country, but he made all the horrorifics things that we all now.
Hope that he's having a nice conversation in hell with Allende.

My 2 cents.

PD: sorry for my english

then the whole chilean history is that there was also a massive boicot against allende´s goverment

chinobaeza

Max wrote:

then the whole chilean history is that there was also a massive boicot against allende´s goverment

no, the history is marked by intolerance

Byrnzie

chinobaeza wrote:

The was no food in Chile while Allende and his friends where living like kings.

Was Allende not voted into power in a democratic election?

macgyver06

its weird how mass murderers are linked to the US somehow

Saddam, Hitler, Pinochet

chinobaeza

Byrnzie wrote:

Was Allende not voted into power in a democratic election?

he was...first socialist president who won an election...
He was a fuc'ing thief and Pinochet a fuc'ing genocide....what a decade!! :(

luxpjamer

Goodbye, Fucker

and they stand to your grabe
'till they're sure that you're DEAD

Byrnzie

chinobaeza wrote:

he was...first socialist president who won an election...

Right. A democratically elected leader. Overthrown and murdered by a murderous military dictator. I don't understand your point.

The Illinoisemakers

macgyver06 wrote:

its weird how mass murderers are linked to the US somehow

Saddam, Hitler, Pinochet

How so?

chinobaeza

Byrnzie wrote:

Right. A democratically elected leader. Overthrown and murdered by a murderous military dictator. I don't understand your point.

maybe my englidh is not the best.....
I'm not defending Allende or Pinochet, I'm only saying that both were fuc'ing criminals and thiefs. I don't like them.

ThumbingMyWay32

macgyver06 wrote:

its weird how mass murderers are linked to the US somehow

Saddam, Hitler, Pinochet

You forgot BUSH!!!!


hahahahahahahahahahahah like that one??????

ThumbingMyWay32

chinobaeza wrote:

maybe my englidh is not the best.....
I'm not defending Allende or Pinochet, I'm only saying that both were fuc'ing criminals and thiefs. I don't like them.

The problem is chinobaeza that a lot of people, especially on these boards, are unwilling to distinguish absolute definition from the real world.

These are the same people who are unable to understand the inaccuracy of a 99%-1% "election" victory Saddam won in his final "re-election" bid. To these people, democratic elections are democratic elections. Just accept the fact that you're always wrong and America is responsible for all major problems we face in the world today, and most minor ones.