He was a murderer, a tyrant and a corrupt son of a bitch. For those who don't remember:
In September 1973, thousands of so-called subversives were rounded up in Santiago's national football stadium. Some of them were executed.General Pinochet emerged from behind his dark glasses to lead the country. Before long, parliament was suspended and elections were banned.
As political opposition was crushed, riots, arrests and torture became commonplace. Thousands of people disappeared. Throughout, General Pinochet claimed he was saving Chile from communism.
Two months later, Allende appointed Pinochet commander-in-chief, believing he could rely on him. But in September, Pinochet told Allende to resign or face military action.
Allende refused and was found dead when troops entered the presidential palace. His widow said he had been killed by the rebels. Others said he had committed suicide.
Two days later Pinochet was named president of a ruling junta. Civil rights were suspended, Marxist political parties outlawed, the power of unions reduced, and heavy censorship introduced. Many intellectuals went abroad.
It became known later that the CIA had spent millions to destabilise the Allende government.
So, like many other monsters before him, he goes to meet his maker having been spared of some highly deserved earthly justice.
He claims political responsibility for the outrages he committed, which is tantamount to claiming no responsibility at all. He should feel morally responsible, but if he did, he may not have been able to live with himself. Then he has the arrogant gall to say he holds no rancor towards anybody. Geez.
Goodbye and goodriddance.
raise a glass a
ReplyDeletefine malbec, to Chile now
sin verdugo
may your streets rise
dancing to Victor Jarra
as Allende's cloud lets out a sigh