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March 22, 2011

Obama Praises Chilean History Of Transition, No Apology For U.S.-Backed Dictatorship 
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During his visit to Chile on Monday, President Obama praised the country
for showing the world that it is possible to transition from
dictatorship to democracy. He, however, refused to apologize for the
United States' longtime support of former Chilean dictator, Augusto
Pinochet. During his first trip to Chile, Obama also declined to say
whether the United States would share classified documents with Chilean
judges investigating the deaths of former residents Salvador Allende and
Eduardo Frei Montalva, as well as hundreds of other opponents of the
dictatorship. Gaby River of the group, Relatives of the Disappeared,
called on the United States to help expose the crimes of the Pinochet
dictatorship.

Gaby River, leader of Relatives of the Disappeared: "We continue
searching for truth and justice for each one of our relatives and
principally to say also it would not be insignificant if the President
of the United States were to take a stance as to what the dictatorship
meant to our people."



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