What You Need to Know
• Police captured fugitive Nelson Haase Mazzei, convicted of kidnapping and murdering Victor Jara in 1973.
• Victor Jara, a prominent Chilean singer-songwriter, was tortured and killed shortly after the Pinochet coup.
• Seven retired military officers were sentenced for Jara’s murder, with prison terms ranging from eight to 25 years.
Police have apprehended Nelson Haase Mazzei, an 80-year-old former military officer convicted of kidnapping and murdering iconic Chilean singer-songwriter Victor Jara during Chile’s military dictatorship. Jara, known for his song “El derecho de vivir en paz” (The Right to Live in Peace), was brutally tortured and shot 44 times on September 16, 1973, just five days after General Augusto Pinochet’s coup against President Salvador Allende. On August 28, 2023, seven retired military officers received prison sentences for their roles in Jara’s death, with Haase fleeing upon receiving a 25-year sentence. He was later found in the Los Lagos region, approximately 590 miles south of Santiago, Chile’s capital. Another convicted officer, General Hernan Chacon, died by suicide during an attempted arrest in 2023.
Why It Matters
The murder of Victor Jara is emblematic of the human rights abuses committed during Chile’s military dictatorship from 1973 to 1990, which resulted in approximately 3,200 deaths. Jara’s assassination highlights the violent repression faced by artists and political dissidents during this period. The recent sentencing of military officers underscores ongoing efforts to address past injustices and seek accountability for the crimes committed under Pinochet’s regime. The renaming of Chile Stadium in 2003 to honor Jara reflects the enduring legacy of his music and the struggle for human rights in Chile.
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