Lucía Pinochet

Who is Lucía Pinochet?

Inés Lucía Pinochet Hiriart is the eldest daughter of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and Lucía Hiriart de Pinochet.

Under indictment for tax fraud, Pinochet traveled to the United States in January 2006 where she appealed for political asylum, but was promptly deported back to Argentina, the nation where she had last resided. At her father's private funeral in December 2006, she praised him for lighting a "flame of freedom" in September 1973, when he overthrew the government of Salvador Allende.

On September 13, 2007, Pinochet announced her intention to run as independent for a seat in parliament for the 23rd district in Santiago. However, she was arrested in October 2007 in the frame of the Riggs case, along with Pinochet's four other children and Lucia Hiriart, and 17 other persons. They are charged of embezzlement and use of false passports, accused of having illegally transferred $27m to foreign bank accounts during Pinochet's rule.

Pinochet was elected councilwoman of Vitacura in the 2008 election. She received nearly 16% of the votes, finishing second.