Chile to open Augusto Pinochet’s last will and testament

Chile’s justice system is obligated to keep the dictator’s last wishes
private, a court spokesman told The Associated Press on condition of
anonymity because he was not authorised to be quoted by name.

But a government representative will attend the private opening, looking to
recover any state money the will might point to, so at least some of its
contents might become public later.

Also present at the opening will be those members of Pinochet’s nuclear family
who want to attend and a lawyer for the family.

The late dictator’s known wealth, including real estate, cars and several
million dollars in bank accounts, remains embargoed. Although his family has
always said the wealth came from his honest work leading Chile, the study by
Universidad de Chile said that $17.86 million was unjustified by his
military salary and that its origins were unknown. In the years since his
death, much of those millions have not been found.

Even many supporters of Pinochet turned against him after allegations about
his hidden wealth were revealed in 2004 by a US Senate committee
investigating money laundering by the Riggs Bank of Washington. Pinochet
accounts were later discovered in Europe and the Caribbean.

Pinochet said in 2005 that his wealth came from “lifetime savings”
after a judge investigating the Riggs case ordered the arrest on tax fraud
charges of his wife, Lucia Hiriart, and his youngest son, Marco Antonio.

Pinochet’s known wealth includes a weekend country house in El Melocoton,
luxury apartments in the exclusive coastal town of Renaca and the nearby
port of Valparaiso, his home in a wealthy neighbourhood of Santiago, several
cars, $2.6 million deposited in a local bank and $280,000 saved at
BankBoston.

Source: AP

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