Mr. Speaker, last weekend British police arrested Augusto Pinochet, the army general who led a bloody coup in Chile 25 years ago. At the request of Spain, the British detained him because Spaniards were among those murdered following that coup.
General Pinochet overthrew a democratically elected government and had President Salvador Allende assassinated the day of the coup.
Thousands were executed. Many were thrown to their deaths from helicopters. Thousands more disappeared forever. Hundreds of thousands were exiled, many of them to this country where they have made a great contribution.
This caucus, and we hope all members, congratulate Britain and Spain for sending a clear message that dictators like Pinochet can run but they cannot hide indefinitely.