Margaret Thatcher was a longtime supporter of Chilean dictator Agosto Pinochet

A coup headed by general Pinochet resulted in the overthrow of Chile's socialist government in 1973. His government murdered at least 2279 individuals and tortured another 27,255 as it subdued the nation. He might have also made money off of embezzlement, arms trades, and tax avoidance. Pinochet resigned as the Republic's self-declared leader in 1990 to become a senator-for-life.

Thatcher was furious at the Labour Party government's arrest of Pinochet, who had been seen as an ally against the spread of communism in Latin America and who had given information to Thatcher's war room during the Falklands War, even though they had never met while either was in power.

Thatcher stated in 1999, "We will fight on for as long as it takes to see Senator Pinochet returned safely to his home country. I don't know when or how this tragedy will finish. The British continue to value friendship and loyalty."

In March 2000, the UK allowed Pinochet to return to Chile for medical reasons. He was never put on trial for violating human rights. Thatcher sent him a bottle of alcohol while he was in the UK on house arrest along with a note that said, "Scotch is one British institution that will never fail you down."