There has been a muted reaction from governments in Latin America to the ruling that General Pinochet isn't immune from prosecution.

The Argentine foreign minister, Guido Di Tella, expressed his nation's solidarity with Chile's demand that the General be released.

Correspondents note that a number of members of Argentina's former military government are also being investigated by the Spanish judicial authorities.

In Brazil, which was run by the military from 1964 to 1985, a foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment.

And the Bolivian government headed by President Hugo Banzer, who led a military dictatorship in the 1970s, had no reaction.