Chile president rules out pardon for military abuses

[Judi Lynn]

25 July 2010 Last updated at 14:39 ET
Chile president rules out pardon for military abuses

President Sebastian Pinera of Chile has rejected a plea by the Roman Catholic Church that he pardon members of the armed forces over human rights abuses committed during military rule.

~snip~
But Mr Pinera rejected the suggestion saying: "I have reached the conclusion that it would not be prudent or convenient in the current circumstances to promote a new law of general pardon.

"These proposals continue to create tensions and divisions between Chileans, and have reopened old wounds and the rancours of the past".

He said individual cases would be considered in a "very prudent and restrictive manner", but not if they involved serious crimes such as murder, terrorism, rape or crimes against humanity.

The bishop's proposal provoked anger among families of those tortured and killed or disappeared under military rule

More:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10756568

[Downwinder]

1. Mr Pinera would lose more votes than he would gain.

[rabs]

2. Rejection is no surprise

A few days ago in another thread on the subject I posted that sources within the Pinera camp has said the Church's petition concerning the DINA/CNI human-rights violators would be rejected.

At the time said it was too much of a hot potato for Pinera, who has been in power for only five months.

Also said that the Church had not asked for a blanket pardon for the convicted milicos, but on a case-by-case basis. From the article above it looks like Pinera may consider some of the lower-ranking soldiers who were ordered by their higher-ups to commit human-rights crimes.

But "Mamo" Contreras and Pedro Espinoza will die in their comfortable Puerto Peuco military prison.