General Pinochet challenged

Chilean parlamentarians have launched a constitutional challenge to the former military leader, General Augusto Pinochet to prevent him from becoming senator-for-life.

A lower house official, Mario Acuna -- the head of the Christian Democrat parliamentary group--, said the deputies would argue that General Pinochet had compromised the country's honour.

At least ten deputies must support the challenge in order for Congress to examine the case.

General Pinochet, who is eighty-two, is expected to step down as army commander-in-chief towards the end of this month.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service