President says Chileans will take Pinochet immunity ruling in stride

SANTIAGO, July 28 (Reuters) -- Chile's President Ricardo Lagos said on Friday that next week's court ruling on whether to strip former dictator Augusto Pinochet of his immunity from prosecution will not throw the country into chaos.

"The country is ready for whatever the court decides," Lagos, the first leftist to run Chile since Pinochet ousted socialist president Salvador Allende in a bloody 1973 coup, told a news conference with foreign correspondents. "Nothing will happen and that is how it should be."

Tensions simmer ahead of Supreme Court vote on Tuesday despite Lagos' belief that it will not cause protests or riots. Friends and foes of the 84-year-old retired general are expected to turn out en masse outside the court to await the decision.

The 20 judges of the highest tribunal in the land will decide whether to remove Pinochet's immunity from prosecution, which stands in the way of putting him on trial for alleged human rights abuses, or keep his protection from the courts.

The military's father figure is shielded from the courts as a senator for life in the upper house of Chile's congress.

But human rights lawyers say that protection should be removed because of his alleged involvement in a "Death Caravan" that slaughtered leftists after his forces ousted Allende.

A simple majority ruling by the court's 20 judges would end the proceedings or lead to specific charges being filed that could see the former commander-in-chief of the army forced to stand trial.

In May, a Santiago court voted 13-9 to strip Pinochet of his immunity from prosecution. Pinochet appealed against that ruling in the Supreme Court.

Last week the judges heard testimony from lawyers representing the families of victims of Pinochet's 17-year regime and from lawyers defending Pinochet, whose supporters believe he saved the country from turning into a Marxist state.

After he overthrew Allende, more than 3,000 people died or disappeared under Pinochet's 1973-1990 regime. Tens of thousands of other Chileans fled the country.

One of the most infamous incidents of the era involved the so-called "Death Caravan," a military helicopter unit that blitzed through northern Chile in October 1973 in search of union leaders and left-wing supporters of Allende. At least 72 people were killed.

Lagos played down the importance of the landmark ruling, which if it goes against the white-haired grandfather would cast aside the notion of his untouchable status in Chile.

"Senator Pinochet is not a relevant factor in today's Chile. He belongs to another stage," said Lagos, who shot to political fame for daring to criticize Pinochet on television while the general was still in power.

A 10-10 vote on Pinochet's fate would leave the appeal unresolved. But the Supreme Court President Hernan Alvarez repeated this week he wanted to avoid a split ruling.

One widely held belief is that the Supreme Court will uphold the previous ruling that took away the general's immunity from prosecution, which would allow specific charges to be filed against him.

But Pinochet could ultimately avoid being dragged through the courts because of his poor health. He suffered at least two strokes in 1999, which his doctors said caused irreversible brain damage, and he has diabetes and a heart pacemaker.

His lawyers say he is too old to remember events and properly communicate with them to map a defense strategy. Chilean law excuses people from trial only if they are certified as "mad" or "demented."

Pinochet returned to Chile in March after 503 days under arrest in Britain. He escaped extradition to Spain on the grounds that he was too ill for a trial. A Spanish judge had wanted to try him on torture charges.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more Americas news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Americas

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.