Ex-Military Walter Klug Rivera, a Chilean Fugitive, Arrested in Argentina

A retired colonel from Chile was arrested in Argentina over human rights violations, which was done during the military dictatorship tenure of former President Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. Identified as Walter Klug Rivera, the former member of the military was one of those who were responsible for the death or disappearance of more than 3,000 people in the political violence during Pinochet's regime, according to a Reuters report.

Klug was arrested by Argentine police on Saturday, June 12, after he left Chile.

Human Rights Violations and Military Dictatorship of Chile

MercoPress reported that Klug entered Argentina using a German passport earlier in June. He was then followed by law enforcement agents until the former colonel was apprehended by the authorities.

Reuters mentioned the Chilean Police saying that Klug was apprehended outside the hotel where the former colonel was staying. The authorities furthered that Klug also intended to leave the place after a few hours to evade justice.

"We have ordered the expulsion of Chilean citizen Walter Klug Rivera, who entered Argentina illegally escaping from the justice of his country," said Interior Minister Eduardo "Wado" De Pedro in a statement. Furthermore, De Pedro emphasized that the former colonel has a red notice from INTERPOL regarding his arrest on his committed crimes against humanity.

"With this measure, the Argentine Republic reaffirms its commitment to the full exercise of human rights, justice, and international order," said a translated statement from Interior Minister De Pedro.

Klug was convicted of the disappearance and murder of 23 workers in 1973. This happened shortly after former President Pinochet took power through a coup that caused the death of the sitting President Salvador Allende.

Apart from the 23 lives that were claimed by Klug, the former colonel also led and organized a detention and torture camp in Los Angeles. The torture camp was located in the stables of Mountain Infantry Regimen number three and happened after the coup that was led by former Pinochet.

Merco Press mentioned organizations claiming that most of the 100 who disappeared from the Biobío region passed on the camp that was led by Klug Rivera. Survivors from the said torture camp described Klug Rivera as "particularly brutal and sadistic."

Walter Klug Rivera will be detained in Buenos Aires on Monday. He was scheduled to appear before federal judge Julían Ercolini, who will initiate the process in extraditing the former colonel to Chile.

Augusto Pinochet Ugarte's Regime

Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was an army officer who led the military dictatorship in Chile from 1973 to 1990. During his tenure, the country experienced poverty, inflation, and ruthless repression of the opposition of leaders.

In 1972, the military moved and took over the Chilean government. Three weeks after he was made the commander-in-chief, the former president ordered an airstrike at the presidential palace. Pinochet was also involved in Operation Condor, which was responsible for the series of kidnappings, disappearances, and assassinations of the prominent opponents of the right-wing regimes in countries including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Augusto Pinochet Ugarte left the post of Chile's president when Patricio Aylwin won the 1989 elections in the country.

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