Vidal responds to criticism from Cheyre: "The government only responds to the present authority"

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SANTIAGO.-  Government Secretary General Francisco Vidal fired back at statements made by Juan Emilio Cheyre, in which the ex-Army Commander in Chief indicated that President Michelle Bachelet and Defense Minister José Goñi had been aware of General Sentelices´ past ties to the 1978 disappearance of 14 people in the Way ravine near, Antofogasta.

“The government responds to the present authority.  If there is an issue with the Army in this case, the government will open dialogue with the current authority through the proper channels”, said Vidal.

Vidal added that the Executive Branch “is neither an analyst nor a commentator concerning the opinions of retired generals, whoever the officials may be”.

According to Cheyre, the current government administration has not been able to continue with the “successful policy of conformity” such as the one enforced while Ricardo Lagos was in power, which had allowed for officials of the Armed Forces to keep their position as long as they were not actually legally convicted of any Human Rights violations.