All you need to know about Pinochet.

Commenter Harry Bear:

The question is not between Pinochet or Switzerland. Far from it, it was either Allende's version of Castroism (while you [Javier Antonio] lived there, do you remember Castro's month long visit to Chile in December 1971?) or the Junta. And the Junta evolved into a democracy, leaving Chile the most prosperous country in South America.

Pinochet left the presidency voluntarily 34 years ago and Chile is now a prosperous democracy. Castro and his allies are holding on to the bitter end and have no intention of having Cuba be anything but a communist dictatorship where there is little economic inequality but widespread poverty (outside of the wealthy, privileged, communist nomenklatura). Shared poverty, that is. Equally shared poverty. Quite unnecessary poverty.

Harry Bear again:

Note that Salvador Allende first ran for President in 1964 and lost with 39% of the vote. Six years later he 'won' with 37% of the vote. The NYT piece goes on to quote de la Parra to the effect that 'sloganeering extremists' of the early 70's 'proclaimed "Death and vengeance: Utopia is within reach!"'. That that was when minority viewpoints began to be disrespected, instead were to be crushed. I.e., the Allendeans wanted to destroy Chilean democracy. That's the context of the Pinochet coup.

Utopia, it seems, is preceded by death and vengeance.

Then this from EstanislasDeloserrata (a great example, along with Mr. Bear, of how to argue dispassionately with leftists determined to distort the facts) who provides additional clarity on Pinochet and his allies:

Harry, never try to argue sensibly with a MIRista.

For them the [leftist] UP and Allende were perfect in every way, and the Marxist gangs that ranged the countryside were completely angelic. Those who had their homes, farms, diaries, and other businesses taken over by the MIRista hoodlums, of course they were richly compensated and happy with the deal. The bankruptcy of the country was all an invention. The Cuban weapons being smuggled to the MIRistas before the golpe [blow] (and afterward as well), those were just toys. The majority vote of the Chilean legislature to remove Allende, of course that never happened either.

Notes
All quotes from "Was Augusto Pinochet a Villain or Hero for Chile? Legacy of 1973-1990 Military Ruler Torn between Market Reforms, Human-Rights Abuses." A debate between Luis Eduardo Barrueto and Carlos Sabino. PanAm Post, 2/24/15.