April Peavey

April Peavey

April Peavey produces the Global Hit. She is based in the Boston newsroom of The World.

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Pete Seeger on the Death and Legacy of Chile’s Victor Jara

January 1, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment
Chile's President Michelle Bachelet attends the burial of the Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara (in the picture). (Photo: REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero)

Chile's President Michelle Bachelet attends the burial of the Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara (in the picture). (Photo: REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero)

Chile's President Michelle Bachelet attends the burial of the Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara (in the picture) at the Victor Jara Foundation in Santiago December 4, 2009. Jara, who was an active member of the Chilean Communist party, was tortured and died shortly after the coup d'etat led by former dictator Augusto Pinochet in September 1973. In June 2009, Jara's body was exhumed as part of an investigation into his murder and returned to his family to be buried. (Credit: REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero)

Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet attends the burial of the Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara (in the picture). (Photo: REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero)


Victor Jara was more than a singer-songwriter.

In Chile, he remains a symbol of freedom, a poet who helped define the nation.

Chile was redefined in 1973.

That’s when a military coup toppled the government of Salvador Allende, and anyone who was associated with it.

Pete Seeger (Photo Credit: Tinya Seeger)

Pete Seeger (Photo Credit: Tinya Seeger)

Jara was one of thousands who died during that coup, led by General Augusto Pinochet.

Victor Jara has been dead for almost 40 year now.

And until this past week, no one had been charged with his death.

But last Friday, a judge in Chile issued an international arrest warrant for two former officers, while several others have been charged as accomplices.

One of the two officers is already dead.

But the other is living now in Florida, and it’s expected he’ll be extradited to Chile.

American folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger has long paid tribute to Victor Jara’s legacy, in story and song.

Discussion

6 comments for “Pete Seeger on the Death and Legacy of Chile’s Victor Jara”

  • mattlove1

    Amazing how you can talk about Chile and Pinochet with Pete Seeger and not once mention the US role in the establishment of the Chilean terror state. Amazing how you can say justice is being done when some of the worlds worst terrorists, such as Henry Kissenger, face no charges, move freely, and have awards tossed at them.  The World is truely and amazing place, is it not?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NTZPSD3UXV6GEV5YWADOS56IYQ Kar

    I fully agree with mattlove1.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=787063079 Eliana T. Loveluck

    Thank you Marco Werman for this beautiful and amazing story about Victor Jara!  We spoke for your show after the earthquake in Chile.  You have no idea how important a story like this is for those of us who have sought justice for our fellow patriots like Victor.  !Gracias Marco!

  • Jeffrey Foster

    I first heard of Victor Jara after hearing U2′s song “One Tree Hill” from the album “The Joshua Tree”, in about 1987, but I’ve heard very little about Jara since then.  I was really happy to hear this story on NPR with Pete Seeger reminding us of the importance of Victor Jara.

  • http://twitter.com/eunicehkim Eunice H. Kim

    Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s *former president

  • http://www.facebook.com/gustavodlp Gustavo De La Piedra

    I’m amazed to know that at least one of the people involved in his torture and death will be held accountable. Awesome! My fingers are crossed. Victor Jara all the way!