General Pinochet has kept everyone guessing up to the last moment over the true date of his retirement. First it was supposed to be March, as dictated in the country's constitution which he drafted while still Head of State. Then the general surprised everyone by announcing he would stand down in January instead.

Local television is reporting that General Pinochet's office has confirmed he will now exercise his constitutional right to stay on as head of the army, probably for another two-and-a-half months. Over that period there's likely to be further developments in two separate investigations into his past.

On Wednesday, Chile's lower house of parliament will debate the legacy of his 16 years in office - a period which ended in 1989 when he stood down to make way for a civilian government.

General Pinochet is also facing a possible civil trial following legal moves by the Communist Party. It claims he is ultimately responsible for the deaths of over 3,000 people during the years of the military regime.