Chilean ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet lost a key appeal before the Supreme Court on Monday and must now face charges for the disappearance of leftists during his regime, Reuters reported. Pinochet, who ruled Chile for 17 years after leading a 1973 coup, must now face the first of a series of human rights charges against him related to Operation Colombo, in which 119 members of an armed revolutionary group disappeared in the mid 1970s and are presumed dead. The panel of five judges from the Santiago-based Supreme Court ruled three versus two to reject the defense argument that Pinochet's health problems, which include mild dementia caused by frequent mini-strokes, made him unfit to face a criminal process. He will face charges in six cases of people who disappeared during his dictatorship. The Supreme Court is still considering a separate appeal motion from the defense for three other cases related to the Colombo disappearances. "The first instance for appeal has been confirmed as rejected, by three votes to two. The second appeal was left for tomorrow (Tuesday)," said Judge Alberto Chaignau. --More 21 32 Local Time 18 32 GMT
