General Augusto Pinochet Died Today in Chile

Augusto Pinochet, Chile's ex dictator died today on Dec. 10 of 2006 in the hospital after suffering a heart attack a week ago. The news about the death of Pinochet is reported by Chile's national TV.

General Pinochet ruled Childe as a dictator between 1973-1990, but spend the latest years of his life fighting human rights, charges of corruption and fraud.

Pinochet is the best known South American dictator who grabbed the power in 1973 from Salvador Allende in a bloody Coup and during the time of his rule it is reported that more than 3000 people have died in through the hands of his secret police in political violence.

However, many people in Chile think that General Pinochet has saved Childe from Marxism and Communism. For this reason he is still loved by many.

Unfortunately the efforts to bring him to justice were not successful.

Wikipedia reports that "Chileans remain divided on his legacy. Many see him as a brutal dictator who ended democracy and led a regime characterized by torture and favoritism towards the rich, while others believe that he defeated communism and brought economic growth to Chile. In between these extremes, Chileans will condemn the oppression of the dictatorship, but perhaps also apportion at least a small part of the blame on the UP Government, and recognise merit in the economic reforms implemented on Pinochet's guard.

"On Pinochet's 91st birthday, November 25, 2006, in a public statement to supporters, Pinochet for the first time accepted "political responsibility" for what happened in Chile under his regime, though he still defended his 1973 coup against Salvador Allende. In a statement read by his wife Lucia Hiriart, he said, "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. ... I take political responsibility for everything that was done."

"It was announced on the morning of December 3, 2006 that Augusto Pinochet had suffered a heart attack, and subsequently the same day he was given last rites. This occurred days after he was put under house arrest. On December 4, 2006, the Chilean Court of Appeals ordered the release of this house arrest. On December 10, 2006 at 13:30 local time (16:30 GMT) he was taken to the ICU due to a heart failure and pulmonary edema. He died, surrounded by family members, at the Military Hospital at 14:15 local time."

Armen Hareyan Reporting for HULIQ