(WatchDogReport.org) – Chile’s former right-wing president, Sebastian Piñera, died of drowning in a helicopter crash on February 6, prompting condolences from political leaders all across Latin America. He led for two non-consecutive terms and was known for being a successful businessman and one of the country’s wealthiest people. He played a significant role in the fall of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.
According to Chilean authorities, the 74-year-old right-wing leader was flying the helicopter along with three other passengers until it plunged into a lake in the country’s southern region. While Piñera was pronounced dead as soon as rescue personnel arrived at the scene, the rest of the passengers survived with minor injuries.
Following his death, Chile’s President Gabriel Boric delivered a public speech where he sent his condolences to Piñera’s family and declared three days of national mourning. In a press conference, Chilean Interior Minister Carolina Toha said that authorities recovered the former president’s body from the Lago Ranco’s lake. She added that Piñera was a political leader who would always be remembered in his country because of the way he dedicated his life “to public service.”
Piñera was best known in the world for his crucial role in the 2010 rescue of the 33 miners who were trapped underneath Chile’s Atacama Desert. The event gained so much attention that Hollywood even created a movie in 2014 named The 33 to depict the whole incident.
While Piñera’s first term was described as successful because of the way his government managed to boost the country’s economy, his second one was marred by massive protests that eventually led to a political crisis. His last presidency ended with the right-wing leader promising Chileans to draft a new national constitution, which ultimately failed under the current government after the vast majority of Chileans voted against such a move.
After leaving Chile’s presidency, Piñera remained active in politics by speaking out against the threat of socialism and backing right-wing politicians in Latin America.
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