The World : Chile to End State of Siege

Chilean President Augusto Pinochet said a state of siege, imposed hours after a failed attempt on his life in September, will not be renewed when it expires early this month. He announced also in his televised New Year’s address a virtual end to the system of exile under which thousands of political opponents have been banned from returning to the country. He said that, although political parties will be legalized in 1987, the military will follow its plan for a single-candidate presidential plebiscite in 1989. Despite the lifting of the state of siege, currently in effect only in Santiago, the government will still hold wide powers to arrest and to restrict freedom of information, movement and assembly under a state of emergency.