Pinochet suffers heart attack

Former Chilean military ruler in a “serious but stable” condition in hospital.

Augusto Pinochet Chile
On his 91st birthday, Pinochet said he took "political responsibility" for actions during his rule

Details of what the revision entailed were unclear.

Pinochet’s heart attack comes less than a week after he was ordered to remain under house arrest for the killings of two presidential bodyguards in 1973.

Profile:

Augusto Pinochet, the former military ruler of Chile.

His health has been poor in recent years, leading to two cases in which he was charged with dozens of murders and kidnappings being thrown out of court.

 
Pinochet has been put under house arrest five times for crimes allegedly committed during his rule, but he has never been tried.
 
Garin earlier urged “those who support general Pinochet to remain calm”.
 
Ill health
 
Pinochet marked his 91st birthday on November 25 by issuing a statement taking “political responsibility” for acts committed during the 1973 military coup that brought him to power, saying his only motive was to make Chile “a great place and prevent its disintegration”.
   
The statement, which was read by his wife, Lucia, at their home, acknowledged his ill health.
He said: “Today, close to the end of my days, I want to make clear that I hold no rancour toward anybody, that I love my country above all else.”
 
Pinoceht has been diagnosed with a mild dementia caused by several strokes.
 
He also suffers from diabetes and arthritis and has required a pacemaker for several years.

Pinochet has been put under house arrest accused of human rights abuses during his 1973-1990 rule.

 
Last week’s indictment involves kidnapping and murder charges over the deaths of the two bodyguards – Wagner Salinas and Francisco Lara – who were arrested on the day of the coup.

Both were executed by firing squad four weeks later, the military government announced at the time.

 
Pinochet was stripped of his immunity from prosecution in the case last July.

During Pinochet’s rule, 3,197 people were killed for political reasons according to an independent commission report.

 
Thousands more were illegally imprisoned, tortured and forced into exile.
Source: News Agencies