President Fidel Castro of Cuba said yesterday the arrest of the former Chilean dictator, Gen Augusto Pinochet, could make him a political martyr and help to return the right to power in Chile.
Dr Castro, on a visit to the Spanish city of Merida, said the detention of his old ideological foe in London could unite the armed forces and conservative parties and undermine Chile's centre-left coalition.
"The right could be strengthened and the left divided, causing a difficult situation in Chile," Dr Castro said two days after attending an Ibero-American summit in Oporto.
He said the Chilean government was in the tough position of feeling obliged to protest against Gen Pinochet's arrest in Britain. That, in turn, has brought Chile's President Eduardo Frei under fire from opponents and allies alike, who question why he is trying to get the 82-year-old general off the hook.
"I would be happy if they put Pinochet on trial," Dr Castro said. But he contended that Gen Pinochet was not the only one who should be held responsible for the 3,000 people who were killed or "disappeared" under his 17-year rule.
"From the first day of Allende's election, the United States took a decision to topple him," Dr Castro said.
Joe Carroll adds from Washington:
The State Department has refused to comment on Gen Pinochet's arrest.
But in an editorial the New York Times said "his detention and possible prosecution are warranted under international law". However, if evidence of his crimes is lacking Mr Pinochet "should go home in peace".
"Given that the world does not yet have a functioning international criminal court, which will have broad international support and safeguards against frivolous prosecutions, such trials by outside nations must continue," the paper said.