Pinochet recovering from heart attack

SANTIAGO – Doctors said former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, recovering yesterday from a weekend heart attack, is no longer in immediate danger but still at risk of medical complications.

“Things are evolving favourably,” Guillermo Garin, a friend and spokesman to the 91-year-old Pinochet, said on Monday night as he left the Santiago military hospital where Pinochet had an angioplasty to reopen arteries on Sunday. Doctors were optimistic about the chances of survival for Pinochet, who is accused of human rights abuses during his dictatorial rule of ran Chile from 1973 to 1990.”If he continues with this positive progress, the general is going to overcome this problem,” said Dr.Juan Ignacio Vergara.”The risk of death is diminishing.But it still exists because of all the complications that might arise.”Pinochet relinquished power in 1990 after he was voted out in a national referendum.He still evokes strong emotions among Chileans even though he is no longer relevant on the political scene, which has been dominated for 16 years by center-left former exiles from his regime.Some Chileans say Pinochet saved the country from Communism by ousting leftist President Salvador Allende in a 1973 coup.Others view him as a murderer who exaggerated his health problems to avoid trial for deaths, kidnappings and torture by his secret police.About 3 000 people were killed in political violence during Pinochet’s 17-year rule and about 28 000 were tortured as the military cracked down on leftist dissidents.Many more fled into exile.Nampa-ReutersDoctors were optimistic about the chances of survival for Pinochet, who is accused of human rights abuses during his dictatorial rule of ran Chile from 1973 to 1990.”If he continues with this positive progress, the general is going to overcome this problem,” said Dr.Juan Ignacio Vergara.”The risk of death is diminishing.But it still exists because of all the complications that might arise.”Pinochet relinquished power in 1990 after he was voted out in a national referendum.He still evokes strong emotions among Chileans even though he is no longer relevant on the political scene, which has been dominated for 16 years by center-left former exiles from his regime.Some Chileans say Pinochet saved the country from Communism by ousting leftist President Salvador Allende in a 1973 coup.Others view him as a murderer who exaggerated his health problems to avoid trial for deaths, kidnappings and torture by his secret police.About 3 000 people were killed in political violence during Pinochet’s 17-year rule and about 28 000 were tortured as the military cracked down on leftist dissidents.Many more fled into exile.Nampa-Reuters