Chile ready to bury Pinochet

After three decades of impunity, the octogenarian dictator is close to being condemned for his crimes against humanity. However, Chileans are afraid natural justice could come first and discuss how to bury him

Sooner than later, Chileans will bury Pinochet. The former bloody dictator that ruled the country from 1973 to 1990 will surely go down in history as one of South America's cruellest tyrants, and the discussion now is whether divine or secular justice will come first.

Pinochet is now 89 and local courts ruled he is fit to stand trial. This time, the alibi that took him out from a British prison in 1999 failed. Pinochet will be tried for his crimes facing murder, torture and corruption charges. A Chilean court has now ruled wisely. All that remains is for a trial date to be set - barring any further legal challenges and further decline in the health of the general, who is said to be recovering from a stroke.

However, the question in Chile now is whether the former US closest ally in South America will survive to hear his sentence. In fact, the Chilean government has already begun discussing how the State will pay the last respects to its bloody tyrant.

According to the Chilean newspaper La Tercera, Chile's president Ricardo Lagos made known that no State honours will be paid to Pinochet. He had also made clear that he will not attend to the funerals and will not decree a mourning day as requested by the most recalcitrant followers of the former dictator.

Therefore, Pinochet will only receive honours from his Army comrades. The coffin, tells the newspaper, will be covered with a Chilean flag which will be put in possession of Pinochet’s widow once the ceremony has finished.

According to La Tercera, Pinochet funerals have been prepared a number of times all along the last 15 years. Burial plans were changed according to the evolution of the charges against the former dictator and the status of his figure before the Chilean society.

Facing nine murder charges, tortures and the recently unveiled corruption scandals, organizers would better think about a private, almost secret, ceremony.