On 10 December 2006, Augusto Pinochet, a former Chilean military leader, passed away in Santiago, Chile at the age of 91. During his tenure as leader of Chile, Pinochet was known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean army from 1973-1998. He also held the post of President of Chile from 1974-1990. Before his tenure, he had served as a Brigadier General in the Chilean Army. Pinochet was born on November 25th, 1915 in Valparaiso, Chile and his military career spanned from 1933-1998, when he retired. During his time as leader, Pinochet implemented policies of economic liberalism and political repression, which had a lasting impact on Chile. He abolished the Congress, cracked down on dissenters, and fostered an environment of fear and terror through secret police and death squads. Though he instituted the policies of economic liberalism, it was during his tenure that Chile had one of the most extreme cases of inequality in Latin America. In 1998, Pinochet lost a referendum and stepped down from power amid multiple legal issues concerning charges of murder, human rights violations, and the disappearance of some Chilean protesters. In 2000 he was arrested in London, and extradition proceedings were opened against him, although they were eventually dismissed due to his deteriorating health. He returned to Chile and received immunity from prosecution from Supreme Court in Chile as a sitting senator-for-life. Pinochet leaves behind a contested legacy that will remain eternally debated.