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Chile's Gen Pinochet dies at 91
Chile's former military leader Augusto Pinochet has died at the age of 91.
The general entered a Santiago hospital a week ago after a heart attack. The hospital said his condition suddenly worsened on Sunday.
Gen Pinochet seized power in a coup in 1973. More than 3,000 people were killed or "disappeared" during his rule which ended in 1990.
He was accused of dozens of human rights violations but had never faced trial because of poor health.
"He died surrounded by his family," the hospital's Dr Juan Ignacio Vergara told reporters.
He said more details would be made available later, Reuters news agency reported.
Gen Pinochet suffered a heart attack a week ago. He underwent an angioplasty to unblock an artery and received the last rites from a Catholic priest.
But in the days afterwards his condition had been thought to be improving.
The BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Buenos Aires says about 150 Gen Pinochet supporters had been keeping a vigil outside his hospital since he was taken ill.
Our correspondent says he believes they will be joined now by other supporters as news of his death spreads.
He adds that there has been no immediate reaction from his opponents as yet, but that they are sure to feel very cheated that they have not been able to bring him to court to face the various charges being made against him.
Despite his human rights record, many Chileans loved him and said he saved the country from Marxism.
But even many loyal supporters abandoned him after it became clear in 2004 that he had stolen about $27m in secret offshore bank accounts that were under investigation at the time of his death, our correspondent notes.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6167237.stm
Gen Pinochet seized power in a coup in 1973. More than 3,000 people were killed or "disappeared" during his rule which ended in 1990.
He was accused of dozens of human rights violations but had never faced trial because of poor health.
"He died surrounded by his family," the hospital's Dr Juan Ignacio Vergara told reporters.
He said more details would be made available later, Reuters news agency reported.
Gen Pinochet suffered a heart attack a week ago. He underwent an angioplasty to unblock an artery and received the last rites from a Catholic priest.
But in the days afterwards his condition had been thought to be improving.
The BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Buenos Aires says about 150 Gen Pinochet supporters had been keeping a vigil outside his hospital since he was taken ill.
Our correspondent says he believes they will be joined now by other supporters as news of his death spreads.
He adds that there has been no immediate reaction from his opponents as yet, but that they are sure to feel very cheated that they have not been able to bring him to court to face the various charges being made against him.
Despite his human rights record, many Chileans loved him and said he saved the country from Marxism.
But even many loyal supporters abandoned him after it became clear in 2004 that he had stolen about $27m in secret offshore bank accounts that were under investigation at the time of his death, our correspondent notes.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6167237.stm
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The brief announcement by the hospital said Pinochet died after his condition worsened suddenly following a heart attack he suffered on December 3.
Relatives and friends of Pinochet were arriving at the hospital. Most relatives had gathered during the morning in a Catholic Mass for the former leader and in a celebration of his wife's 84th birthday.
More
http://www.guardian.co.uk/pinochet/Story/0,,1968950,00.html