Fragile democracy

Exactly how "firm" is democracy in Chile?

In a Hardtalk interview on 16 July Tim Sebastian speaks to President Ricardo Lagos of Chile about democracy in his country, relations with the US and the fate of General Pinochet.

Click here to watch the full interview

President Ricardo Lagos of Chile says that 30 years on from the coup which overthrew Salvador Allende, democracy in Chile is "firm".

He denies that democracy in the country is fragile, but admits that his centre-left government is not able to get legislation opposed by the right wing through the Congress because of the constitution.

Pinochet

The constitution remains unchanged since it was introduced by General Pinochet.

As to whether he is satisfied that it was the right decision for Chile's courts to find Pinochet unfit to stand trial, the President does not agree that the General has made fools of them: "whether he is mentally fit is difficult to say".

President Lagos says they do not have the political force in Congress to overthrow the Amnesty law, which protects members of the armed services from prosecution for crimes committed in the 1973 - 78 period.

The important thing for Chile is the future, not the past

President Ricardo Lagos

Currently only those accused of kidnapping victims who have never been found can be prosecuted, as their crimes extend beyond 1978.

But in any case he says, "what are we going to gain by it? The important thing for Chile is the future, not the past".

Looking to the future

Ricardo Lagos tells Tim Sebastian he is happy that the truth is finally emerging about US involvement in 1973, and he has no fear that Chile could go back to what the country had in the past.

He also predicts that Chile, one of only two western countries where divorce is currently illegal, will eventually get its own divorce law.

Has General Pinochet made fools of Chile's courts?

On the war in Iraq, he regrets that the UN failed to give the weapons inspectors more time to search for weapons of mass destruction, and he regrets the damage that has been done to the authority of the multinational organisation.

"A small country like Chile, if we are living in a world without rules then we are at the mercy of the more powerful, and we don't like that".

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 03:30 GMT, 08:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 18:30 GMT and 23:30 GMT.

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 03:30 GMT and 22:30 GMT