Supporters of the Chilean president-elect, the Socialist, Ricardo Lagos, have called for the former military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, to be put on trial.

Mr Lagos responded to the call, which interrupted his victory speech, by saying that Chile's courts would apply justice to all its citizens.

But he added that his priority was bringing Chile out of economic recession.

Mr Lagos beat his right-wing rival, Joaquin Lavin, by a margin of two-and-a-half per cent.

He will be Chile's first Socialist head of state since Salvador Allende, who was overthrown by General Pinochet in 1973. Mr Pinochet could soon be released from house arrest in Britain, where the government says he's too ill to stand trial as demanded by Spain in its extradition request.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service