Right-wing Chilean lawmakers seek to build monument for Pinochet
Deputies from two right-wing parties in Chile's congress tabled a bill on Tuesday to build three monuments for late Gen. Agustin Pinochet Ugarte, the country's former president .

Ivan Moreira of the Democratic Independent Union (UDI) presented the bill with the backing of the National Renewal Party, arguing that "if Salvador Allende has a monument, there is even more reason for Gen. Pinochet to have one."

Pinochet deposed Allende on Sept. 11, 1973 in a coup d'etat during which Allende died in mysterious circumstances. Pinochet stepped down on March 11, 1990 and died on Dec. 10, 2006, at the age of 91.

The bill proposed building monuments in the cities of Iquique and Valparaiso, as well as at the Plaza de la Ciudadania facing Santiago's La Moneda Palace, the seat of government.

Moreira said the bill was intended to finance the public work with donations from private companies and the public.

The bill was blasted by the Socialist Party of Chile's ruling coalition.

"I would suggest that they should think more. Publicly honoring someone who killed so many people, when so many people enjoyed no public honor, is impossible as far as we are concerned," said Carlos Montes, a deputy of the party.

On Monday, the council of Las Condes in the eastern suburb of Santiago agreed to name a street, square or park after the former leader.

The incident followed an attempt by the UDI mayor of Las Condes, Francisco de la Maza, to rename Calle Burgos, hometown to Michelle Bachelet, the current Chilean president who was once tortured by agents under the Pinochet regime.