Spain announced Tuesday (September 12) that it was stripping the late Chilean leader Gen. Augusto Pinochet of the Cross of Military Merit, which was bestowed upon him in 1975 by former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.
According to the Associated Press, the government of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it would withdraw the military award for gallantry or merit, with the announcement coming after the 50th anniversary of the US-backed coup which instilled a brutal military dictatorship in Chile.
Pinochet, who died in 2006, was never put on trial for alleged crimes against humanity during his regime.
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Stripping Pinochet Was Step Toward Democratic Values, Madrid Says
Government spokesperson Isabel Rodríguez said the step represented Spain's commitment to democratic values.
Meanwhile, Sanchez said Monday (September 11) that Chilean democracy was "the victim of a brutal attack that shook the world" and that stripping Pinochet of the Spanish medal would "make amends for a historical injustice."
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