Civil charges by the Victor Jara’s family are being brought against a former Chilean military officer, Lt. Pedro Pablo Barrientos. The civil trial will take place soon in an Orlando court.
Victor Jara, a folk singer and political activist was murdered in 1973 in Santiago, Chile. A military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet took over the government of socialist president, Salvador Allende. Allende died in the coup.
Over 3,000 people, suspected of being socialists, mostly non-violent, were rounded up and held in the national soccer stadium Santiago. They were disappeared, tortured and murdered by the military in the ensuing days. During the military regime years approximately 30,000 people experienced the same fate.
Victor Jara was in the stadium. To encourage his fellow prisoners as Jara played his guitar and sang for the captives. Finally the soldiers had had enough. Survivors recall that Jara’s hands were crushed with rifle butts and murdered. The Jara family alleges that Lt. Barrientos was in command of the stadium, and responsible for the killings.
In 1989 Barrientos moved Florida. According to AP reporter, Mike Schneider (The Ledger, June 12, 2016), Victor’s wife, Joan Jara and her family filed a lawsuit under the Torture Victim Protection Act, “which allows civil lawsuits to be filed in the United States against people who have committed torture.”
Joan Jara said in a statement to the press said, that the trial ‘extends to all who have spent so many decades searching for answers about their loved ones who were tortured, disappeared, or killed at the hand of the Pinochet regime.’”
In 1990, while a staff member of the Alfalit Latinoamericano, I led an immersion of American Christian laypersons to Chile. We were met at the airport by local Alfalit promoters.
Most of them were members of the United Pentecostal Church. At a local church, they shared the activities we would experience while in Chile. The military regime was on their way out, as the first election for restoring democracy to Chile was scheduled.
Next, our hosts led us in exuberant prayer and praise for our being there in solidarity with them. They prayed for their country and the end of state terror.
Following the reception, we were taken to the national cemetery. They wanted to show us where their heroes were buried. We were taken where President Allende’s body was laid in a place of honor.
Prayer and singing broke out again in gratitude for God’s mercy on Chile. Later, we went to the graves of Victor Jara, Violeta Parra, composer of “Gracias a la Vida, and Pablo Neruda, poet and Nobel laureate, who died “of a broken heart” at the beginning of the coup.
The struggle for justice never dies, as those who abuse it face their trial, no matter how it takes.
Footnote: As we were driven in downtown Santiago, I spotted a large billboard announcing a mass revival with tele-evangelist, Jimmy Swaggart leading at the national stadium. He was a supporter of the Pinochet regime, congratulated Pinochet for bringing peace and prosperity to the country. I wonder if Jimmy ever saw his bloody souls on hallowed ground.
“Té recuerdo Amanda” por Víctor Jara
Te recuerdo Amanda; la calle mojada; corriendo a la fábrica donde trabajaba Manuel
La sonrisa ancha, la lluvia en el pelo, no importaba nada; ibas a encontrarte con él, con él, con él, con él, con el.
Son cinco minutos; la vida es eterna,; en cinco minutos
Suena la sirena, de vuelta al trabajo; y tu caminando lo iluminas todo; los cinco minutos; te hacen florecer.
Te recuerdo Amanda; la calle mojada; corriendo a la fábrica; donde trabajaba Manuel
La sonrisa ancha; la lluvia en el pelo; no importaba nada, ibas a encontrarte con él, con el, con él, con él, con el.
Que partió a la sierra; que nunca hizo daño, que partió a la sierra; y en cinco minutos,
quedó destrozado
Suenan las sirenas; de vuelta al trabajo; muchos no volvieron; tampoco Manuel
Te recuerdo Amanda, la calle mojada; corriendo a la fábrica, donde trabajaba Manuel.
“I Remember You, Amanda”
by Víctor Jara
I remember you, Amanda; the wet street; running to the factory where Manuel worked.
The broad smile, the rain in your hair—nothing else mattered; you were going to meet him—with him, with him, with him, with him, with him.
It is five minutes; life is eternal—in five minutes.The siren sounds, back to work; and as you walk, you light up everything; those five minutes make you bloom.
I remember you, Amanda; the wet street; running to the factory where Manuel worked.
The broad smile, the rain in your hair—nothing else mattered; you were going to meet him—with him, with him, with him, with him, with him.
Who left for the mountains; who never did any harm; who left for the mountains—and in five minutes, was shattered.
The sirens sound; back to work; many did not return—nor did Manuel.
I remember you, Amanda; the wet street; running to the factory where Manuel worked.
