Former Military Officer Captured for Murder of Victor Jara

Police have captured Nelson Haase, a fugitive convicted of kidnapping and murdering Victor Jara, a prominent singer-songwriter. The arrest was announced in a Justice Department statement. Jara, known for his songs like El derecho de vivir en paz (The Right to Live in Peace), was a central figure in the New Chilean Song movement during the 1960s.

In 1973, shortly after the coup led by Augusto Pinochet against President Salvador Allende, Jara was tortured and murdered. He was shot 44 times and died at the age of 40. Court documents from 2023 detailed the severe torture Jara endured, including brutal injuries to his face and hands.

In August 2023, just before the 50th anniversary of the coup and Jara’s murder, seven retired military officers were sentenced to prison. The sentences ranged from eight to 25 years. Haase, now 80, fled when his 25-year sentence was declared. According to the Justice Department, Haase was found in the Los Lagos region, 590 miles south of Santiago, the capital.

Another convicted officer, General Hernan Chacon, died by suicide when police attempted his arrest in 2023. Five others, including Pedro Barrientos who was apprehended in Florida by ICE, are now in prison. During the coup on September 11, 1973, Pinochet ousted Allende, leading to widespread detention and torture.

Chile Stadium, used as a detention center by the military, held many political detainees. Many disappeared or were executed, including Jara. In 2003, the stadium was renamed in his honor. The murder of Jara stands as one of the dictatorship’s most egregious crimes, with the regime’s overall toll reaching 3,200 victims.