Santiago, Chile — A three-member appeals court on Thursday reduced charges against former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet from murder and kidnapping to covering up those crimes.
The court kept alive the prosecution of the former strongman, albeit on lesser charges. But the reduced charges angered families of Pinochet's victims, who have tried for years to bring him to justice.
Pinochet
In a 2-1 split, the judges said prosecuting Judge Juan Guzman had not produced enough evidence to prove that Pinochet ordered the murders of 57 people and the kidnappings and presumed deaths of 18 others. The appellate judges did find sufficient evidence that Pinochet covered up the deaths that occurred in the weeks after he seized power Sept. 11, 1973, in a coup backed by the Nixon administration.
"For us, we are very happy the process against him continues. Pinochet is a criminal," said Carmen Hertz, one of the attorneys seeking to prosecute Pinochet for the Caravan of Death. That's the name given to roving death squads that wiped out leftists and perceived political opponents as Pinochet tightened his grip on Chile.
Pinochet's defense also claimed victory Thursday. "It was extremely favorable for General Pinochet," Ambrosio Rodriguez, a defense attorney, told Radio Chilena. Pablo Rodriguez, Pinochet's lead attorney, said he would seek a bail arrangement that would void a Jan. 29 house arrest order against his client.
Groups representing families of Pinochet's victims could not hide their disappointment. "From what we heard in the oral arguments, there was plenty to show he was the author of 57 murders and 18 kidnappings," said Viviana Diaz, leader of a group for families of "the disappeared," as the missing victims are known.
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