Pinochet's Death, Tragedy or Escape Options

[Nacho H]

The longtime leader of Chile, Augusto Pinochet, who overthrew the elected president Salvador Allende in a bloody military coup in 1973 and finally relinquished power after 17, years died yesterday at 6:15 hours GMT+1.

Pinochet, a dictator which had been due to face charges tax evasion and human rights abuses (Rights groups estimate that more than 3,000 people were killed after 1973 when Salvador Allende, the democratically elected president, was overthrown and allegedly took his own life with a gun given to him by his friend, Fidel Castro.), has invented illnesses and cardiac problems to escape justice in the past.

Helped by Margaret Thatcher and President Jose Maria Aznar in the past amongst others, the former dictator had been a revered figure in Chile until his arrest in London in 1998, but he managed to escape being sent to Spain to face charges of human-rights abuses, after British medical experts ruled he was suffering from "mild dementia" and therefore unfit to stand trial.

The consequences of this unproven death have made a change in Chile. While thousands of Pinochet supporters grouped up outside the hospital, mourning and trading insults with people in passing cars, many other Chileans saw his death as reason for celebration. Hundreds of cheering people waving flags crowded in Santiago de Chile, the capital of Chile, drinking champagne and throwing confetti. The official response to the dictator's death in Chile last night, announced that Pinochet will have a funeral with military honours, but will not be treated as a former head of state.

This event marks a failure for democracy and justice in the sense that a mass murderer was not tried due to favoritism from extreme right politicians from the Western World. This event proves that there is much corruption yet to be solved and this should be an experience to learn from to make sure that future barbaric acts are punished and ultimately stopped. I would like to also remind everyone of the sorrow of the many families who lost their relatives under the yoke of Augusto Pinochet whom have not been granted with justice.

The debate spreads into two branches, is Pinochet dead or is he escaping justice again lying to the world about his death? And to what extend can the people tolerate the way in which their leaders act behind the courtain of democracy?

[Mr Jones-Nerzic]

Helped by Margaret Thatcher and President Jose Maria Aznar in the past amongst others, the former dictator had been a revered figure in Chile until his arrest in London in 1998, but he managed to escape being sent to Spain to face charges of human-rights abuses, after British medical experts ruled he was suffering from "mild dementia" and therefore unfit to stand trial.

I have always enjoyed Thatcher's flirtation with the General. So many of her other policy positions can be dressed up as 'reasonable' right-wing politics but on Pinochet her misplaced loyalty allows the mask to slip.

[Henri W]

I have to say, his death seemed like quite a coincidence. I have to say, I don't adhere to conspiracy theories, but one must ask themselves - was this a desperate attempt from a guilty man trying to avoid facing the wrath? I find it almost obscene that countries such as Britain could even dream of giving the same level of cooperation that they did knowing the things that were going on there. Just going along with a military led dictatorship to have an ally to face the brunt of communists seems wrong. But then again, we look at the behaviours of states now such as China


This reminds me of a news article I read yesterday. The government in Spain is apparently trying to pass legislation to give reperations to those persecuted under Franco's regieme. Having only just started studying the rise of Franco, I know to little to give definate opinions/conclusions on the subject, but would you say the sentiments in Chili to want Pinochet on trial are the same as Spain's will to see justice recognised through reperations? There are those on the right who say that this is a closed chapter in history that would only be damaging if reopened. Do you see any linms betwee nthe two events? Could they be compared?

[Mr Jones-Nerzic]

This reminds me of a news article I read yesterday. The government in Spain is apparently trying to pass legislation to give reperations to those persecuted under Franco's regieme. Do you see any linms betwee nthe two events? Could they be compared?

Franco lingered near death for weeks before dying. On slow news days, United States network television newscasters sometimes noted that Franco was still alive, or not yet dead. The imminent death of Franco was a headline story on the NBC news for a number of weeks prior to his death on November 20.

After Franco's death, Chevy Chase, reader of the news on Saturday Night Live's comedic news segment Weekend Update, announced the dictator's death and read a quotation from Richard Nixon: "General Franco was a loyal friend and ally of the United States. He earned worldwide respect for Spain through firmness and fairness"; as an ironic counterpoint to this, a picture was displayed behind Chase, showing Franco standing alongside Adolf Hitler, both of them giving the "Nazi salute"

From that point on, Chase made it clear that SNL would get the last laugh at Franco's expense. "This breaking news just in", Chase would announce-- "Generalísimo Francisco Franco is still dead!"The top story of the news segment for several weeks running was that Generalísimo Francisco Franco was still dead. Chase would repeat the story at the end of the news segment, aided by Garrett Morris, "head of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing", whose "aid" in repeating the story involved cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting the headline. The line was also a perceived slap at then-NBC Nightly News main anchor John Chancellor, who due to his background as a foreign correspondent, felt the network should weigh its news more heavily toward world events, keeping Franco's deathwatch at the top of the headlines. Chancellor reportedly was miffed at both Chase and SNL over the running gag.

Thirty years later, the phrase is still in use. James Taranto's Best of the Web Today column at OpinionJournal.com uses the phrase as a tag for newspaper headlines that indicate something is still happening when it should be obvious, such as "Hunt for Bin Laden Still On" by Fox News. It has used the tag more than 60 times. The practice of American television networks constantly reporting that ailing world leaders are still alive is still widespread. Famous examples include Yasser Arafat in 2004 and Pope John Paul II in 2005.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalissimo...o_is_still_dead