SUPERJUDGE.

By challenging former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon has made violating human rights a global offense.

BALTASAR GARZON IS NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY.

The 43-year-old judge from Spain's Andalucia first rose to national prominence when he uncovered evidence that the Spanish government, under former Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, was sponsoring death squads to target members of the Basque separatist group ETA. His relentless 10year campaign eventually concluded with the arrest and conviction last year of a former Spanish security chief and a former Spanish government minister.

In his dogged pursuit of the truth over the years, Garzon has fought the likes of government officials, drug barons and the ETA. At age 33, he became one of the youngest ever to be named to Spain's National Court, the country's highest. His strong will and penchant for solving some of the nation's most controversial cases has even earned him the nickname the "Superjudge".

Still, nothing has brought Garzon more attention--both good and bad--than his attempt to try former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on charges of torture and murder of Spanish citizens.

Human-rights workers applaud his courage; the Chilean government and Pinochet supporters abhor his tactics. Yet there is no denying that Garzon's decision to piece together a case against Pinochet has ignited a global debate on making all dictators accountable for their atrocities. "Pinochet's arrest is a warning for those who think that the borders of their country save them from any judge:' proclaimed Spain's respected El Pals newspaper days after the dictator's arrest.

Strangely enough, the case against Pinochet did not begin with any direct investigation of the former Chilean dictator's activities during his 1973-1990 reign. Instead, Garzon and his judicial colleague, Manuel Garcia Castell6n, came across evidence that linked Chile to Argentina's "dirty war:' The two judges found that hundreds of Spaniards were routinely taken into custody by Argentine soldiers and handed over to the Dina, Chile's secret police. Dina officials then allegedly tortured and killed the Spaniards.

Garzon sought to interview Pinochet, but got no cooperation from Chilean authorities. The judge then reportedly got wind of Pinochet's visit to Europe after reading a lengthy article about him in The New Yorker magazine. In the article, Pinochet made mention of his plans to have back surgery in London. Garzon immediately dashed off an arrest warrant and forwarded an extradition request to the British government. So began the drama that continues to capture the world's attention.

Despite the massive publicity, Garzon has refused to speak publicly about the affair and efforts by LATIN TRADE to reach him for this article were unsuccessful.

Whether Garzon's efforts to extradite Pinochet succeed remains unresolved. In March, the British House of Lords issued a ruling that granted Pinochet sovereign immunity for acts committed before he stepped down as dictator in September 1988, but left the door open on questioning Pinochet for any crimes allegedly committed since that date. In late September, a British court will decide whether Pinochet--who remains under house arrest in London--should be dispatched to Spain to face charges brought by Garzon.

In the meantime, the workaholic Garzon continues to build his argument against Pinochet, specifically focusing on his actions after 1988. In June, he secured U.S. government documents in connection with the U.S. role in Chile during the 1970s and 1980s. More recently, Garzon added 22 new charges of torture against Pinochet. In all, according to court papers, Pinochet tortured or murdered at least 130 people between 1988 and 1990.

As for Pinochet, in the only published interview granted by the former dictator, he told London's Sunday Telegraph in July that, "Mr. Garzon has no evidence whatsoever, what he has is lucubraciones." And in a twist of irony, he also told the newspaper that he considered himself a political prisoner.