CHILE: GENERAL MANUEL CONTRERAS BEGINS 7 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

(22 Oct 1995) Spanish/Nat

The government in Chile has hailed the jailing of a former secret police chief as a victory for the country's fledgling democracy.

After a five month legal battle, General Manuel Contreras finally went to prison on Saturday to begin a seven-year sentence term for the 1976 assassination of left-wing politician Orlando Letelier.

However the way the army secretly handled Contreras' transfer to jail shows the extent of the military's influence in Chile five years after civilian rule was established.

After a five-month legal battle, the convicted former police chief finally arrived at Punta de Peuco - a brand-new prison north of Santiago built at the request of the army specifically for fallen officers.

Chile's most notorious fallen officers - General Manuel Contreras and Brigadier Pablo Espinoza, his deputy in the Pinochet secret police, will be the only two inmates at Punta de Peuco, which has room for 100 prisoners.

It's been a tense standoff between the military and the judiciary these last five months as the lawyers fought his incarceration every inch of the way - and lost.

SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)

A la 1.40 horas ingreso al establecimiento penitenciario de Punta de Peuco el senor Manuel Contreras Sepulveda. El sentenciado fue trasladado del hospital naval de Talcahuano desde donde regreso en la tarde de ayer cumpliendose asi lo dispuesto por la excelentisima corte suprema de justicia.

Translation: At 1.40 hours Manuel Contreras Sepulveda entered the prison of Punta de Peuco. The prisoner was transferred from the naval hospital of Talcahuano from where he had returned from yesterday afternoon in compliance with the orders of the supreme court of justice.

SUPER CAPTION: Soledad Alvear - Justice Minister

On sentencing Contreras the courts had decreed he would have to begin serving his seven-year sentence as soon as the doctors pronounced him fit.

SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)

Que el recurso de proteccion deducido por el General Contreras queda acogido solo en cuanto se resuelve que el traslado del recurrente no podra llevarse a efecto sino a partir del dia 23 del mes de octubre en curso, pudiendo sin embargo haciendose con anterioridad a esa fecha si la direccion del hospital de Talcahuano con informes de sus medicos tratantes, estima que su salud lo permite.

Translation: The appeal for protection by General Contreras is upheld in as much as his transfer cannot take effect until after the 23rd of October, although this could happen before that date if the doctors at the hospital of Talcahuano deem that his health allows it.

SUPER CAPTION: Carlos Meneses - Clerk of the Supreme Court in Chile.

Contreras was sentenced in May to a seven-year prison term for the 1976 assassination in Washington DC of Orlando Letelier, a prominent foe of General Augusto Pinochet.

But he eluded prison through legal manoeuvres and on health grounds - until now.

The way the army secretly handled Contreras' transfer to jail shows the extent of the military's influence in Chile five years after civilian rule was established.

The army reportedly demanded that Contreras not be seen or photographed while being jailed to protect his dignity.

In addition, the government agreed to allow an elite army unit to serve as guards, instead of regular prison guards.

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