Changes

[[File:Augusto Pinochet foto oficial coloreada.jpg|300px|thumbnail|Oficial Pinochet photo 1974 (colored).]]

[[Image:342px-Pinochet de Civil.jpg|right|thumb|Augusto Pinochet in civilian outfit.]]

|image=Augusto Pinochet foto oficial coloreada.jpg

|offices={{Officeholder/misc

|office=[[President of Chile]]

|terms=December 17, 1974 – March 11, 1990

|succeeded=[[Patricio Aylwin]]

|succeeded=[[José Toribio Merino]]

|office=Senator-for-life of Chile

|preceded=''Position established''

|succeeded=''Position disbanded''

|office=Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army

|religion=[[Catholic]]

 

General '''Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte''' (b. [[Valparaíso]], on November 25, 1915–d. [[Santiago]], on December 10, 2006) was a [[Chile]]an [[general]] who became Chile's head of state (or leader) from 1973 to 1990. He came to power as a member of a council of military leaders after the overthrow of the [[communism|communist]] government of President [[Salvador Allende]].  Pinochet is credited with restoring the [[free market]], traditional western values, and prosperity to Chile after hardship under communism.  [[Leftist]]s hated Pinochet for his [[conservative]] policies, to the point of wrongly imprisoning him in [[England]] on political charges long after Pinochet had relinquished power.  He was ultimately released.

General '''Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte''' (b. [[Valparaíso]], on November 25, 1915–d. [[Santiago]], on December 10, 2006) was a [[Chile]]an [[general]] who became Chile's head of state (or leader) from 1973 to 1990. He came to power as a member of a council of military leaders after the overthrow of the [[communism|communist]] government of President [[Salvador Allende]].  Pinochet is credited with restoring the [[free market]], traditional western values, and prosperity to Chile after hardship under communism.  [[Leftist]]s hated Pinochet for his [[conservative]] policies, to the point of wrongly imprisoning him in [[England]] on political charges long after Pinochet had relinquished power.  He was ultimately released.

==Detention in London==

==Detention in London==

 

In 1998, the [[leftists]] who had long hated Pinochet arranged for his arrest while he was in [[London]] receiving medical treatment. An unprecedented arrest warrant was issued in [[Spain]] by judge Baltasar Garzón for alleged [[human rights]] violations with the charges of "genocide, terrorism and torture" that is accused of being responsible during his government. [[Margaret Thatcher]] was a vocal supporter of Pinochet during the arrest. The stunt failed, and Pinochet was subsequently returned to Chile due to his ill health after a year and five months of detention in England. He returned to his country on March 3, 2000. Upon his return, he had to face numerous lawsuits filed against him in the courts. On June 5, the Court of Appeals decided -by 13 votes to nine- to strip the senator for life of his immunity, a measure that was ratified by the Supreme Court by 14 votes to six. He was later indicted and charged with [[kidnapping]] 19 supporters of Salvador Allende during the 1973 coup in which Pinochet took power. The Chilean [[Supreme Court]] suspended the prosecution in July 2002, again due to Pinochet's continuing poor health.

In 1998, the [[leftists]] who had long hated Pinochet arranged for his arrest while he was in [[London]] receiving medical treatment. An unprecedented arrest warrant was issued in [[Spain]] by judge Baltasar Garzón for alleged [[human rights]] violations with the charges of "genocide, terrorism and torture" that is accused of being responsible during his government. [[Margaret Thatcher]] was a vocal supporter of Pinochet during the arrest. The stunt failed, and Pinochet was subsequently returned to Chile due to his ill health after a year and five months of detention in England. He returned to his country on March 3, 2000. Upon his return, he had to face numerous lawsuits filed against him in the courts. On June 5, the Court of Appeals decided -by 13 votes to nine- to strip the senator for life of his immunity, a measure that was ratified by the Supreme Court by 14 votes to six. He was later indicted and charged with [[kidnapping]] 19 supporters of Salvador Allende during the 1973 coup in which Pinochet took power. The Chilean [[Supreme Court]] suspended the prosecution in July 2002, again due to Pinochet's continuing poor health.