The Trial of Pinochet

     Stephen Read, a physician specializing in geriatrics, comments:
     "An issue that I have not heard discussed since his return to Chile Pinochet's competence. I assume this is because his opponents assume this was a put-on,and his friends (and he himself) presumably do not wish him to be tarnished. If we assume, however, that he indeed was incompetent to stand trial due to irreversible brain disease (multiple strokes was rumored), then I would assume he is incompetent to function as a senator (or as another government official). This incompetence would in fact be the basis of both removing Pinochet from public life but not exposing his person to the risk of trial and potential punishment. If this functional pardon were made, then Chile could consider a Truth Commission to investigate, which Pinochet supporters would have less defensible reasons to resist."

Ronald Hilton - 5/26/00