Bilateral relations o an announced arrest: British - Chilean diplomatic efforts in the previous stage of the Pinochet case

Abstract

The article seeks to uncover the complexity and political implications of Augusto Pinochet's visits to the British capital during the 1990s, highlighting media attention, diplomatic tensions, and the impact on British domestic politics. It argues, through official sources from the Foreign Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that the Aylwin and Frei administrations, along with the British diplomatic apparatus, were aware of the public interest and international actions against Pinochet. However, since these were private visits, Pinochet did not require official permits to travel. His decision to visit London unilaterally, relying on his diplomatic immunity, the security of transitional agreements, and the continuity of Chilean-British relations, stood in contrast to the post-Cold War international tensions.