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January 22, 2026

Chile's Far Fight President-Elect Names Two Pinochet Lawyers to Cabinet
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Chile's far-right President-elect José Antonio Kast has named two
lawyers who once represented the U.S.-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet
to serve in his Cabinet. Pinochet ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. One of
the lawyers, Fernando Rabat, has been tapped to head Chile's Justice and
Human Rights Ministry. The other, Fernando Barros, will serve as defense
minister. Kast has openly praised Pinochet and is the son of a Nazi who
fled Germany after World War II. Human rights groups criticized the
selections. The Association of Relatives of Detained and Disappeared
Persons wrote last week, "It constitutes a direct offense to the memory
of the victims of the dictatorship and their families. It reaffirms a
history of apologizing for the dictatorship and a commitment to
impunity."


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