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Chileans Demand Statue in Honor of Pinochet

Several right-wing members of the Chilean government have proposed that three statues in honor of the late General Augusto Pinochet be erected in and around the country. Pinochet ruled the country with an iron fist for 17 years and was a hugely controversial figure. While many feel that he saved the country from Marxism and improved its economic situation tenfold, the fact remains that Pinochet was an abuser of human rights and over 3000 people were killed or disappeared during his rule.

The members of parliament propose to erect a statue outside La Moneda, Chile?s presidential palace in Santiago. Two smaller statues would also be erected around the country ? one in Pinochet?s birthplace, Valparaiso and another in the northern city of Iquique. It is expected that the Chilean parliament will oppose the new bill. A local council of the neighborhood where Pinochet lived while in power ? Las Condes ? approved a request for a street or square to be named after the deceased leader.

General Augusto Pinochet died on December 10 after suffering a heart attack. He was 91 years old at his death. More than 60,000 people filed passed his open coffin before he was buried a fortnight ago. At the same time however, thousands demonstrated outside the presidential palace against the atrocities committed by Pinochet while he was in power.