Chile's Piñera Pardoned Pinochet-Era Criminal Against Humanity

Chile’s news site La Tercera revealed Sunday that President Sebastian Piñera had issued a pardon for former colonel Rene Cardemil, who was convicted for crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for executing six people in October 1973.

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In a press conference Sunday, Piñera said “we want Chile to be a humanitarian country, to have compassion for those who are on the verge of death or prostrate in our jails, and that is valid for all, civilians and military.

Alicia Lira, president of the Agrupación de Familiares de Ejecutados Políticos (which roughly translates to Association of Relatives of Executed Politicians) criticized the pardon saying it establishes “a nefarious precedent… President Piñera applied this benefit to a person who committed atrocious crimes and who never asked for forgiveness.”

Although the comptroller’s office received the official document on April 6, Cardemil was not able to benefit from the pardon because he died a day later in the MIlitary Hospital, where he had been battling prostate cancer.

Cardemil was serving his sentence in the Punta Peuco prison, which holds people convicted of crimes against humanity for actions during Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship (1973 - 1990).

This is the first time a prisoner held in Punta Peuco prison receives a presidential pardon on humanitarian grounds.

Despite opposition by human rights groups, Raul Meza, lawyer of the Punta Peuco prisoners, said Piñera’s decision “reveals the government’s humanitarian will to grant pardons to those prisoners who suffer terminal illnesses and wish to die with dignity with their loved ones.”

Meza also announced he will submit three new requests.