Pinochet, Augusto Pinochet
The General was dictator of all Chile
For nearly two decades, since '73
(He had charge of the place until 1990)
He abused his power to a terrible degree.
Torturing people in terrible ways
Seemed to occupy most of his dictator days.
Victims sure had it bad, they were beaten with sticks,
Then stripped naked and shocked, or strung up by their wrists
Drowned, interrogated, forced to play Russian Roulette
And during all these unspeakable horrors, were told
"Your children will be next." What a terrible threat!
When Pinochet was accused of these practices infernal
He said we can't interfere with such matters internal.
And though he may lay claim to sovereignty,
He has committed a crime against humanity.
Perhaps not genocide, but we still can't abide
What he's done inside of his own country
So charges were leveled and he was brought in
About one year ago. Then the trials did begin.
His simple retort was to yell and cavort,
Saying he couldn't respect an international court.

Spain wanted to charge him with 3,000 lives lost
During all of his reign, 17 years of small holocaust.
But the torture convention that came from the U.N.
Had not become British law until a more recent date
And therefore all charges preceding 1988
Would have to be thrown out, which was a pain for Spain
Who didn't want a murderer to get away again.
So they've tried to argue that they have the right
To extradite Pinochet, but he puts up a fight
Refusing to acknowledge all non-Chilean courts
Since he knows at home he'll go scot-free in due course
Is he too old for jail or too old for remorse?
In this awful position, a tough question arises:
What right can an international body possess
To pass national boundaries and thusly transgress
A ruler's sovereignty? In the case of this mess
Where his home has no justice, we should have the mission
Of supporting extradition to a country where conditions
Seem more likely to provide a just trial. Spain or France or
England, or anywhere else that there's a chance for
Justice, because Pinochet should have to answer
For his crimes.