Pinochet dodges court

last updated 8 January 2015

Santiago, Chile

The Chilean judge who has tried to prosecute retired Gen. Augusto Pinochet for killing political enemies now believes the former dictator will never be brought to justice, the Associated Press reported this week. Judge Juan Guzman has twice ordered Pinochet placed under house arrest and charged with crimes during his 1973–1990 regime, when an estimated 3,100 people were killed or “disappeared.” Both times, he was diagnosed with mild dementia and declared unfit to stand trial. Now, he faces two more possible trials—for a corruption case involving $28 million diverted into U.S. accounts and for the murder of 15 dissidents. “A person who wants to prove that he is innocent should go through a fair trial,” Guzman said. “Pinochet doesn’t have the courage to do that.”