More Pinochet Guilt

Newly declassified documents show that Augusto Pinochet personally ordered the murder of Orlando Letelier in Washington DC and that he even contemplated murdering Manuel Contreras to cover it up. That Pinochet had ordered it never really seemed in doubt--Contreras was a thug but even he would pause before attacking the United States.

The documents note that Secretary of State George Shultz explained all this to President Reagan, which in turn helps us understand why Shultz became such a vocal opponent of Pinochet. Reagan vacillated, feeling ideological affinity with Pinochet, but Shultz was adamant.

As far as I can tell, the documents are not yet public but I would suspect that'll happen quickly.

h/t Ricardo Valencia on Twitter