Chile begins funeral services for former President Pinera

SANTIAGO (Reuters) -The remains of Chile's former President Sebastian Pinera arrived at the country's former Congress in Santiago on Wednesday, where friends, family and the public will pay respects until he is laid to rest on Friday.

Pinera died after the helicopter he was piloting crashed into a lake in Southern Chile on Tuesday. His remains arrived in the capital on Wednesday and were received by family members, President Gabriel Boric and several ministers.

Mourners laid roses and candles at the former two-time president's home in Las Condes, an upscale neighborhood in eastern Santiago, while thousands of people waved flags and pictures of Pinera as the motorcade passed through the city on its way to the former Congress.

A divisive figure, the billionaire conservative was president in 2010 to 2014 and 2018 to 2022, during times of strong economic growth.

But both of his presidencies were marred by frequent protests, first by students demanding education reform, and by wider, often violent protests against inequality in his second term that ended with the government promising to draft a new constitution.

"I'm not part of the right, but I think he was one of the best presidents Chile had because it's when Chile had the most economic stability; you noticed the money," said Alonso Reyes, a driver in Vina del Mar.

"It was a good government. Like everyone, there were good things and bad things."

Pinera also played a crucial role in drafting a public letter signed by all living presidents of Chile to mark the 50th anniversary of a deadly coup, expressing a collective commitment to the protection of democracy.

"He had the capacity for dialogue and for friendship," said Paz Zarate, senior researcher in foreign policy at Chilean think tank Athena Lab. "For me that letter and the personal effort made is a great final legacy; it speaks volumes."

Earlier on Wednesday, the local prosecutor's office revealed the former two-time president died from asphyxiation due to submersion following the crash.

Tatiana Esquivel, the local prosecutor where the accident happened, told reporters the cause of the crash was still being investigated. A report from Chile's DGAC aviation authority said the helicopter took off about 3:30 p.m. and crashed into a lake minutes after.

(Report by Natalia Ramos, Fabian Cambero and Alexander Villegas in Santiago, Lucinda Elliott in Montevideo; Editing by Mark Porter and Jonathan Oatis)