Chile declassifies 39,000 files from dictatorship

Newly declassified files found at Chile's Villa Baviera could shed light on hundreds of people who went missing or were murdered during the military government of Augusto Pinochet from 1973 to 1990.

The documents were found in 2005 but were labeled a "state secret" until now.

Officials at the National Human Rights Institute successfully lobbied for the files' release.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE LORENA FRIES SAYING:

"We are in the preliminary stage of revising the material. We don't only have files, there are other things. Therefore, we don't know the quality of this material. But undoubtedly, we will be very happy if it contributes to further helping to identify or know the fate of the people who were in Colonia Diginidad."

Formerly known as Colonia Dignidad, Baviera was a clandestine detention center run by this man, Nazi, Paul Schaefer.

Schaefer fled Chile in 1997 while being investigated for sex abuse.

He wa