How can can Margaret thatcher still support Pinochet even after its apparent that he was a tyrant?

Question

Before he died he said he took full responsibility for his actions.
Is Margaret Thatcher just being stubborn.

Answer 1

Pinochet helped her in the war against Argentina.

Answer 2

because Pinochet was Margaret Thatchers closest ally durring the war between Argentina and England. Pinochet saved hundreds or maybe thousands of enlish lives by helping british troops who were wounded, and could stay in Chiles military hospitals, and provided places for english planes and ships to refuel. overall, Pinochet made everything very convenient for the english. as a display of her gratitude Thatcher sent Pinochet some Hawker Hunters (i cant remmeber how many)

pinochet wasnt a tyrant. he had to be strong because the times demanded of him to do so. the country was in so much turmoil that weak leaders would be eaten up (like Allende)

hard times call for hard measures. pinochet did everything he could for the love of his country. he died knowing what he did was right, so he took responsbility for everything he believed in, rather than to bend into apology.

if he was really a tyrant, he wouldnt have had a peblicite to know if he should remain in power, or an election following up his loss in the peblicite.

tyrants, such as Fidel, stay in power by force, and dont care what the people think.

Answer 3

Pinochet was bad, Ooohhhh.....
Maybe the real alternatives were worse, locally and/or on the world stage. Maybe she's being stubborn, but maybe she knows something you don't. And maybe she's just being kind to the dead. At any rate, it would be arrogant to make too much of it.

Answer 4

Yes, I think he might have been a better alternative than what they had going.
Maybe sad but true, killing thousands of people in the name of change is certainly awful, and most of us are lucky to not have to go through such abrupt and forced change. On the other hand, having some communist system which suppresses personal freedom and oppurtunity might be a less obvious way of killing millions nice and slowly.

Answer 5

She didn't know, or didn't care, about Pinochet's dirty little secret in Colonia Dignidad.