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Pinochet was president of Chile from 1974 to 1990
(AP)
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Former Chilean leader President Augusto Pinochet has regained
consciousness after Saturday's reported stroke, doctors at his Santiago
hospital say.
"He is no longer in critical condition ," hospital officials said in a
statement on Sunday.
Judge Juan Guzman ruled last Monday that the former leader was fit to
stand trial on alleged human rights abuses during his 17 years of military
rule.
His lawyers are contesting the ruling and a verdict is due on Monday.
Human rights lawyers reacted cynically to
Saturday's hospitalisation ,
suggesting the timing was tactical.
One of them, Juan Pavin, said it was part of a medical strategy often
used by the general.
"When there isn't a court decision, nothing happens," the lawyer told
the BBC.
Gen Pinochet, 89, arrived at the hospital shortly before 1300 GMT on
Saturday after reportedly feeling ill during breakfast.
On Sunday, doctors treating him said he would remain in hospital,
despite having made progress.
"The health of Gen Pinochet has evolved favourably, with regained
consciousness and mobility," they said in a statement.
"The medical council meeting today [Sunday] at 1000 (1400 GMT) is of
the opinion that he has emerged from his critical condition."
Gen Pinochet faces charges relating to the murder
of one Chilean and the disappearance of nine others as part of Operation
Condor - a conspiracy by six South American regimes in the 1970s to hunt down
and
kill their left-wing opponents.
Earlier this month, a court ruled that Gen Pinochet could face charges
over the murder of his predecessor as army chief, Gen Carlos Prats, who
died in a car bomb attack in Buenos Aires in 1974.
Gen Pinochet is also being investigated over tax fraud and money
laundering.
The Supreme Court only decided to strip the former leader of immunity
from prosecution in August.
But so far the state of his mental health has prevented him from
standing trial.
A previous investigation, accusing him of responsibility for the deaths
of more than 70 political prisoners, fell through in 2001 when an appeal
court found that he was too unwell to be tried.
He has previously been diagnosed with "moderate dementia", while
doctors have disagreed over whether or not he is fit for trial. He also
has diabetes, arthritis and uses a pacemaker.
A Chilean inquiry concluded that more than 3,000 people were killed for
political reasons during Gen Pinochet's rule, while more than 30,000
Chileans have testified that they were tortured or detained by the
military government.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2004-12-20 09:15