Divisive New Leader in Chile: What His Pinochet Praise Means
Chile's new president, Jose Antonio Kast, has praised the country's former dictator Pinochet. Experts analyze what this could signal for the nation's future.
Chile has a new president, and his admiration for the country's former dictator has experts and citizens concerned about the nation's democratic future. Jose Antonio Kast, a conservative politician, was recently elected as the next leader of Chile, and his past statements praising the Augusto Pinochet regime have raised alarm bells.
Pinochet ruled Chile with an iron fist from 1973 to 1990, after leading a military coup that ousted the democratically-elected socialist president Salvador Allende. During Pinochet's brutal 17-year dictatorship, thousands of Chileans were killed, tortured, or "disappeared" by the regime. Despite this dark history, Kast has spoken fondly of Pinochet, calling him a "social conservative" and a "great leader."
Source: Al Jazeera
