page_title: Carlos Cardoen
section_title: Weapons industry
hierarchical_section_title: Carlos Cardoen / Weapons industry
caption_attribution_description: Carlos Cardoen meets with Iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein.
context_page_description: Carlos Remigio Cardoen Cornejo is a Chilean metallurgical engineer, weapons scientist and agricultural businessman.
  Cardoen rose to prominence amidst the United States arms embargo against Chile, when he became in the 1980s "Pinochet's favourite arms manufacturer".
  When Saddam Hussein fell out of favour with the United States in connection with the 1990 invasion of Kuwait Cardoen, who had weapon dealings with Iraq, was accused by the US of zirconium trafficking. Since then he has been on the Interpol wanted list. On various occations Cardoen has received support from National Congress and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to end the Interpol arrest warrant.
context_section_description: As a weapons expert he ran FAMAE in the late 1980s. He allegedly illegally sold zirconium supplemented armaments to Iraq under the Saddam Regime, exported from the United States, for which he has an international arrest warrant. Yet, Cardoen claims the United States was aware and implicitly consented this trade until Saddam Hussein fell out of favour.
  During the height of the Beagle crisis in 1978 Cardoen was contacted by Chilean Air Force commander Fernando Matthei and designed on his request a light bomb, that could be dropped from any airforce plane, in only 15 days. When asking Matthei what did he want the bomb for, he reportedly answered: "para joder"' (to joke around)'.
  In the mid-1980 Cardoen bought the Italian swimmer delivery vehicle and minisub manufacturer Cos.Mo.S. His attempts to sell the firm under the table to Iraq ended in scandal and the closure of the company. A warrant was issued for his arrest but he was never brought to justice.
  Cardoen claims Iraq owes him 50 million USD from weapon purchases.
caption: Carlos Cardoen meeting with former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
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