6 Arrested for Murder of Former Chilean President

By Sovereign Hager

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile-A judge determined that the 1982 death of Chile’s former president Eduardo Frei Montalva was a homicide, leading to the arrest of six men. Three of the individuals have been charged with murder and three others are charged as accomplices to murder.

Judge Alejandro Madrid, who investigated the case, announced that Montalva was poisoned to death with multiple doses of thallium and mustard gas which were secretly mixed with medications and injected into his body. A human rights lawyer working for the Frei family called the murder an “action by the military intelligence of the dictator (Pinochet), with a clear and precise objective, the elimination of President Frei.”

Former aids to General Pinochet alerted the Frei family to the murder. Eugenio Barrios, a chemist who worked for the Chilean secret police is suspected of administering the poison to Frei. Barrios worked on several radical experiments including the production of anthrax, botulism, and nerve gas sarin.

Michelle Bachelet calls the arrests “good for our society.” The arrests include medical personnel and members of Pinochet’s secret police, known as the Dina. Doctors charged as accomplices are accused of conducting an illegal autopsy, removing Frei’s organs and stuffing his corpse with gauze.

Frei was president of Chile from 1964-1970.  He initially supported the 1973 military coup leading to the death of Salvador Allende. However, after severe human rights crimes came to light he emerged in opposition to the military government of Augusto Pinochet.

The murder of Frei in January of 1982 marked the beginning of the Pinochet regime systematically eliminating leaders in the democratic opposition. Former President Frei’s son is a leading candidate in Chile’s presidential election, slated for Sunday. Members of Frei’s family call the charges “a historic step.”

For more information, please see:

The Guardian-Six Arrests Over Murder of Former Chilean President-8 December 2009

AP-Ex-President Was Murdered; Six Charged-7 December 2009

Rueters-Ex-President Murder Probe Shakes Chile-7 December 2009

Author: Impunity Watch Archive