KILLERS IN COLD BLOOD (True Crime) by Gordon Kerr, Ray Black, Rodney Castleden, Ian Welch, Clare Welch
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police force.
Pinochet became president because the army was the oldest institution of the four. He looked something like a Mafioso, with slicked back hair, dark glasses and a low trimmed moustache. It reflected his mindset, for he quickly made it clear that he was the boss. Anyone who voiced their opposition to him was quickly removed from power or forced to retire. So, the junta soon evolved into a regime with Pinochet omnipotent.
One of Pinochet’s aims was to encourage ambitious thinking in the Chilean people. As opposed to the communist ideal of their being an empowered proletariat, he had a vision of the lower classes becoming proprietorial – owning their own homes and businesses. It wasn’t a bad thing, on the face of it, as it gave the opportunity of prosperity to individuals and the nation. But, it was all too much too quick. Pinochet used a group of US trained economists called the Chicago Boys to control his reform policies. By 1983, the country’s economy was in serious trouble. Over one-third of the population was unemployed and poverty had actually increased. Too few people had got rich and too many had lost out.
Underpinning Pinochet’s failings as a politician were his draconian ways of dealing with political adversaries. Like all incompetent leaders, he resorted to the annihilation of political opponents rather than see that they are a necessary part of society and a part that should be dealt with by diplomatic means, even if only to remain an honourable human being.
His first shameful conduct came following the coup in 1973. Allende’s political party had been the PU (Popular Unity) and many dissident PU members were still at liberty. Pinochet offered them sanctuary in a number of military prisons, so many gave themselves up to avoid persecution while the country was in turmoil. Pinochet then ordered a group of army officers to visit the prisons by helicopter and execute the PU members. Some seventy-one people were summarily executed simply for having socialist leanings. The event became known as the Caravan of Death due to the methodical and whistle-stop nature of the execution tour.
Over the next seventeen years, Pinochet continued in a similar vein. Anyone who so much as voiced an opinion that countered the government was dealt with. Tens of thousands were taken in for questioning and imprisoned and tortured. Around 3,000 disappeared, never to be seen again. It eventually emerged that those who were deemed to pose a significant threat to Pinochet’s presidency were murdered in cold blood. It has been reported that they were dealt with in a particularly gruesome manner. They were flown out to sea and dumped into the ocean, having had their stomachs slashed open so that sharks would devour them alive.
Pinochet’s fall from power came in a surprisingly capitulatory way. In 1988, he lost a referendum that would have kept him president for another eight years. Then in 1990 an open candidate presidential election was held, so that his successor – Patricio Aylwin – was, like Allende, a democratically elected leader. Pinochet was careful to protect his back though by being sworn in as a senator-for-life, which meant that he was afforded considerable protection against indictment for his crimes.
In fact, Pinochet remained immune from prosecution until he travelled to the UK for medical treatment in 1998. He had been the only South American leader not to side with the Argentineans during the Falklands– Malvinas War in 1982, so Margaret Thatcher viewed him as a political ally and gave him an open invitation to come.
Five days into his visit he was issued with an arrest warrant from a Spanish court and charged with human rights abuses – the torture, murder, illegal detention and disappearance of Chilean citizens. He returned to his home country but, unfortunately for the prosecution and his victims, he was declared too unwell mentally to stand trial, so he was placed under house arrest, which
Pinochet became president because the army was the oldest institution of the four. He looked something like a Mafioso, with slicked back hair, dark glasses and a low trimmed moustache. It reflected his mindset, for he quickly made it clear that he was the boss. Anyone who voiced their opposition to him was quickly removed from power or forced to retire. So, the junta soon evolved into a regime with Pinochet omnipotent.
One of Pinochet’s aims was to encourage ambitious thinking in the Chilean people. As opposed to the communist ideal of their being an empowered proletariat, he had a vision of the lower classes becoming proprietorial – owning their own homes and businesses. It wasn’t a bad thing, on the face of it, as it gave the opportunity of prosperity to individuals and the nation. But, it was all too much too quick. Pinochet used a group of US trained economists called the Chicago Boys to control his reform policies. By 1983, the country’s economy was in serious trouble. Over one-third of the population was unemployed and poverty had actually increased. Too few people had got rich and too many had lost out.
Underpinning Pinochet’s failings as a politician were his draconian ways of dealing with political adversaries. Like all incompetent leaders, he resorted to the annihilation of political opponents rather than see that they are a necessary part of society and a part that should be dealt with by diplomatic means, even if only to remain an honourable human being.
His first shameful conduct came following the coup in 1973. Allende’s political party had been the PU (Popular Unity) and many dissident PU members were still at liberty. Pinochet offered them sanctuary in a number of military prisons, so many gave themselves up to avoid persecution while the country was in turmoil. Pinochet then ordered a group of army officers to visit the prisons by helicopter and execute the PU members. Some seventy-one people were summarily executed simply for having socialist leanings. The event became known as the Caravan of Death due to the methodical and whistle-stop nature of the execution tour.
Over the next seventeen years, Pinochet continued in a similar vein. Anyone who so much as voiced an opinion that countered the government was dealt with. Tens of thousands were taken in for questioning and imprisoned and tortured. Around 3,000 disappeared, never to be seen again. It eventually emerged that those who were deemed to pose a significant threat to Pinochet’s presidency were murdered in cold blood. It has been reported that they were dealt with in a particularly gruesome manner. They were flown out to sea and dumped into the ocean, having had their stomachs slashed open so that sharks would devour them alive.
Pinochet’s fall from power came in a surprisingly capitulatory way. In 1988, he lost a referendum that would have kept him president for another eight years. Then in 1990 an open candidate presidential election was held, so that his successor – Patricio Aylwin – was, like Allende, a democratically elected leader. Pinochet was careful to protect his back though by being sworn in as a senator-for-life, which meant that he was afforded considerable protection against indictment for his crimes.
In fact, Pinochet remained immune from prosecution until he travelled to the UK for medical treatment in 1998. He had been the only South American leader not to side with the Argentineans during the Falklands– Malvinas War in 1982, so Margaret Thatcher viewed him as a political ally and gave him an open invitation to come.
Five days into his visit he was issued with an arrest warrant from a Spanish court and charged with human rights abuses – the torture, murder, illegal detention and disappearance of Chilean citizens. He returned to his home country but, unfortunately for the prosecution and his victims, he was declared too unwell mentally to stand trial, so he was placed under house arrest, which
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