Ex-Chile officers guilty of 1973 reporter's death

[Judi Lynn]

Ex-Chile officers guilty of 1973 reporter's death
– 1 hr 14 mins ago

SANTIAGO (AFP) – Chile's Supreme Court on Thursday found six ex-navy officers guilty in the abduction and execution of a Chilean journalist one day after the coup that ushered in the 1973-1990 military dictatorship.

Journalist Jaime Aldoney Vargas was kidnapped on September 12, 1973. The journalist, who was also a socialist town alderman, was tortured and later executed at the naval air base of El Belloto.

The court sentenced retired navy captains Patricio Villalobos, Pedro Arancibia, Jaime Urdangarin and German Valdivia to five years prison with probation for their role in the reporter's abduction.

Another retired navy captain, Guillermo Vidal, was sentenced to five years prison for attempting to cover for his colleagues, while a fifth captain, Sergio Mendoza, was sentenced to four years prison with probation.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110506/wl_afp/chilejusticerights_20110506032415

[rabs]

1. Ex-Chile ?? Far as I know Chile is still Chile

How about Chilean ex-officers?

Looks like headline writers are being recruited straight out of failing high schools anymore.

But it is good that the repressors are paying for their crimes. It took almost four decades but justice has caught up, as in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Sounds as if Chile changed its name, but won't tell anyone the new name,

like "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince".

[rabs]

2. From La Nacion of Santiago

Jaime Aldoney Vargas was last seen severely tortured and taken out of a Carabineros jail in the town of Limache, south of Santiago, by Navy troops. He was taken to a merchant marine vessel named "Maipo" and from there was "bin laden-ed," dumped at sea.

The former officers found guilty will not be spending one day in prison.

The five were granted "libertad vigilada," (supervised liberty.") However, the ex-officers were ordered to pay a joint fine in Chilean pesos equal to U$S 65,000 to two of Vargas' brothers.