Pinochet's Letter to Chileans Published by Newspapers

Family members of Chile's former dictator Augusto Pinochet have released a letter they say he wrote before his death.

In the letter, Pinochet defended his 1973 coup and the methods he used to impose order during his 17-year rule.

The letter was published Sunday in Chilean newspapers, two weeks after Pinochet died of a heart attack.

Pinochet said he was proud of the effort that went into preventing Marxism-Leninism from reaching total power. He said the use of temporary detentions, official exile and execution by court martial were necessary.

Official records say at least three-thousand-197 people died during Pinochet's regime. Tens of thousands were tortured.

Pinochet died without facing trial on numerous charges against him for the killings, disappearances and torture that took place under his leadership.

By VOA News