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There are many who are still mad at Pinochet (several thousands were killed during his regime, most just disappeared). The Left of course trys to villify him, but in General (pun :) their attempts fail with the General public (another pun :).

Chileans have a pretty healthy attitude towards Pinochet: they view him as the defender of Chilean democracy, who stepped in to do the will of the people (e.g.- overthrow Allende who had taken Chile a lot farther to the left than it wanted to go).

However, they also view Pinochet, rightfully so, as a dictator whose regime killed people and who overstayed his welcome, who allowed corruption to set in over the years, but one who set up a robust and working economic system, and with the good grace to step down peacefully when the time came.

In General the Chileans (except the far left) did not like the Spanish/British attempt a few years back to try Pinochet as a criminal in Europe: these they saw as meddling in Chilean affairs. ("Pinochet is a mean and evil ex-dictator but he is OUR mean and evil ex-dictator -- hands off!")

History, IMHO, will be very kind to Pinochet and he will go down as a true, if not perfect, Chilean hero...

Thanks for the input. I always viewed Pinochet as a hero. Hypothetically, if I were to become dictator of the U.S, I'm pretty sure the Clintons, Carville, Begala, Michael Moore, Jane Fonda, Sean Penn, etc... would "disappear" too.

Well, maybe not, but I would be realy tempted. But then again if I could get rid of the Clintons...hmmm I'm going to have to think about this.