In Chile, Nobody Talks to Pinochet Now

[Judi Lynn]

In Chile, Nobody Talks to Pinochet Now
Sunday September 17, 2006 5:31 PM
By EDUARDO GALLARDO
Associated Press Writer

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - Gen. Augusto Pinochet, once the all-powerful dictator of Chile, is a lonely man nowadays.

When his former secret police chief shocked the nation in July by claiming Pinochet made part of his large fortune through drug trafficking, his lawyer and longtime supporter issued a denial but other than his family, few Chileans came to his defense.

Just five people showed up this month to mark the anniversary of a failed attempt on 90-year-old Pinochet's life. And on Sept. 11, the 33rd anniversary of the military coup against socialist President Salvador Allende, only two women appeared at his house for what used to be a day of great celebration for Pinochetistas.

Before, Pinochet could count on legions of supporters to fend off his critics and paint him as the man who saved Chile from becoming another Cuba. Now, the only thing keeping him out of jail appears to be his poor health, which his doctors say includes diabetes, arthritis and mild dementia.
(snip/...)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6086412,00.html





Santiago's National Stadium, one of nine land based torture centers, and La Esmeralda, one of three torture ships, with inserted photo of British priest tortured to death there. More on "La Esmeralda:"
http://www.chile-esmeralda.com/


(In case anyone reading is somehow unaware of this horrendous Nixon/Kissinger-backed hell on earth, Pinochet TORTURED to death many, many, many people suspected to be "leftists." Some were thrown from airplanes and helicopters, as well.)

[bluestateguy]

1. I plan to have a huge celebration when he dies

Bigger than when Ken Lay croaked.

[SoCalDem]

2. It does not even matter what happens to him now.. He's OLD.

He never paid for the crimes he committed, he live a full and LONG life.. He was allowed to go unpunished and soon he will die of old age..

Like so many really evil people:(

[citizen snips]

3. He must pay for his crimes

no matter how old he is.

[KingFlorez]

4. Why should they? He's a monster

Murdering thousands of people and stifling democracy is not something that should be praise. A lot of right-wingers praise him for overthrowing Allende who was socialist, even though the people voted him into office. Chile, along with Argentina were the fascists regimes of the 1970s and 1980s and Reagan tolerated them.

[rpannier]

7. In all fairness

Every Administration tolerated them in the 70's and 80's

[struggle4progress]

11. Tolerated? Nixon/Kissinger helped him seize power

[rpannier]

14. And...

Ford and Carter also allowed him to continue to abuse that power.
That's my point.

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. The media say thousands, but alas truthful chroniclers report that

the disappeared number hundreds of thousands.

[rpannier]

5. Someone needs to e-mail this story to scrubbie

Because that's going to be him in twenty years. All ignored, hated and alone.

[Generator]

6. My thoughts exactly

If there is any God or justice, which at the moment, I'm doubting.

[Gregorian]

9. His supporters reminded me of Bush's supporters.

Brainless, greedy pigs who don't care about anyone or anything but that which is increasing the size of their pocketbook.

Pinochet had to stand and announce his name during his extradition trial in the UK. He's not a free man.

[dicknbush]

10. I think the best part of this tale is that we have a template..

For going after the Busistas when they are out of offfice. We should get an international warrant out for their arrests so at the least they are never going to leave the country without fear of being arrested and tried for crime against humanity. THis should have ahppened to Pinochet but Blair let him go.

[struggle4progress]

12. Website for the "Disappeared"

http://www.memoriaviva.com/Ejecutados/Ejecutados%20H/charles_edmund_horman_lazar.htm

[Judi Lynn]

13. Here's a NY Times article on Charles Horman, in the photo of the

first page of the website you posted:

Published on Sunday, February 13, 2000 in the New York Times
U.S. Victims of Chile's Coup:
The Uncensored File
by Diana Jean Schemo



Twenty-six years ago, as the forces of Gen. Augusto Pinochet overthrew the Socialist government of Salvador Allende, two American supporters of President Allende were killed in Chile under circumstances that stirred suspicions of C.I.A. involvement.

American officials categorically denied any role in the young men's deaths, which were dramatized in the 1982 movie "Missing."


Compelled by the Freedom of Information Act, the government in 1980 released the results of classified internal investigations, heavily censored in black ink, that appeared to clear the American and Chilean governments of any responsibility.

But now, those thick black lines have been stripped away. Spurred by the arrest of General Pinochet in 1998, President Clinton has ordered the declassification of "all documents that shed light on human rights abuses, terrorism and other acts of political violence during and prior to the Pinochet era in Chile."

Some of those documents make clear for the first time that the State Department concluded from almost the beginning that the Pinochet government had killed the men, Charles Horman, 31, and Frank Teruggi, 24. The investigators speculated, moreover, that the Chileans would not have done so without a green light from American intelligence.

"U.S. intelligence may have played an unfortunate part in Horman's death," said one newly declassified memo. "At best, it was limited to providing or confirming information that helped motivate his murder by the government of Chile. At worst, U.S. intelligence was aware the government of Chile saw Horman in a rather serious light and U.S. officials did nothing to discourage the logical outcome of government of Chile paranoia."

With most of the blacked-out portions now restored, the documents declassified by the State Department illustrate how exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act -- a law that was meant to reduce secrecy -- can be misused.
(snip/...)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/021300-01.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He and American Frank Terrugi were taken and killed, both journalists.



Here's a CNN version of the American murders:
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/06/30/chile.documents/



His widow, Joyce Horman

For any DU'er who might have missed it, there was a movie made with Jack Lemon portraying Mr. Horman's dad, and Sissy Spacek as Joyce Horman which you may find very helpful.