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Mar 01, 2016akirakato rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a 2008 documentary about Chilean judge Juan Guzmán who was assigned the first criminal cases against the country's ex-dictator General Augusto Pinochet. Augusto Pinochet was dictator of Chile between 1973 and 1990 and Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army from 1973 to 1998. He was also president of the Government Junta of Chile between 1973 and 1981. Pinochet assumed power in Chile following a United States-backed coup d'état in September 1973 that overthrew the elected socialist Unidad Popular government of President Salvador Allende and ended civilian rule. Several academics have stated that the support of the United States was crucial to the coup and the consolidation of power afterward. Pinochet had been promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Army by Allende on August 23, 1973, having been its General Chief of Staff since early 1972. In December 1974, the ruling military junta appointed Pinochet President of Chile by joint decree, although without the support of one of the coup's instigators, Air Force General Gustavo Leigh. From the start of the new military government harsh measures were implemented. During the period of Pinochet's rule, various investigations have identified the murder of 1,200 to 3,200 people with up to 80,000 people forcibly interned and as many as 30,000 tortured. As of 2011, the official number of deaths and forced disappearances stands at 3,065. After stepping down in 1990, Pinochet continued to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army until 10 March 1998, when he retired and became a senator-for-life in accordance with his 1980 Constitution. Eventually, he was indicted by Juan Guzmán, but Pinochet died on December 10, 2006. About 300 criminal charges were still pending against him in Chile for numerous human rights violations during his 17-year rule, and tax evasion and embezzlement during and after his rule. He was also accused of having corruptly amassed at least US$28 million.