USA extradites alleged murderer of musician Victor Jara to Chile after 1973 coup
Barrientos was taken by helicopter to a military compound in the east of the capital, where he was arrested and questioned by Judge Guillermo de la Barra, it was reported.
Barrientos had lived in the USA since 1989. His transfer to his home country, which Chile had been demanding since 2013, became possible after Barrientos lost his US citizenship. It was revoked because he had concealed information about his military service in Chile from the immigration authorities.
One day after the CIA-backed military coup of September 11, 1973 against Chile's left-wing president Salvador Allende, his ardent supporter Jara was arrested. A few days later, the body of the 40-year-old singer was found with 44 bullet wounds and signs of torture.
In August, seven former military officers were sentenced to prison terms of between eight and 15 years in connection with Jara's murder. One of the convicts, retired general Hernán Chacón, avoided imprisonment by committing suicide.
Jara, a pacifist known for his protest songs, was taken to a sports stadium in Santiago de Chile with around 5,000 other political prisoners, where he was interrogated, tortured and finally killed. His tormentors had broken the singer and guitarist's fingers with rifle butts and boot kicks. Through his violent death, Jara became an idol for artists who were oppressed under the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
In an interview with the AFP news agency, Jara's only daughter Amanda spoke of a "very long road" to justice after her father's murder. Jara's wife, the British-born former dancer and human rights activist Joan Turner, did not live to see Barrientos' extradition: she died on November 12 at the age of 96.
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- Following the extradition, Barrientos will face trial in Santiago de Chile for his alleged involvement in the 1973 coup.
- The police in Miami had been monitoring Barrientos' activities due to the ongoing investigation into his role in Jara's assassination.
- Many us citizenship rights activists have called for a thorough investigation into the CIA's alleged involvement in the 1973 coup and Jara's murder.
- Barrientos, a former military officer, is believed to have played a key role in the 1973 coup and the subsequent violence against political dissidents in Chile.
- After the extradition, Barrientos was handed over to Chilean authorities at the Miami International Airport, marking a significant moment in the pursuit of justice for Jara's family and supporters.
- The alleged murderer's loss of US citizenship was a crucial factor in Chile's ability to secure his extradition and bring him to trial for his crimes.
- Despite widespread condemnation of Pinochet's regime and calls for justice, many of the alleged perpetrators of Jara's murder and torture have never been brought to account.
- In a statement, the US Department of Justice acknowledged the significant role played by its law enforcement agencies in facilitating Barrientos' extradition to Chile.
- Jara's death and the events of the 1973 coup have become symbols of the struggle for democracy and human rights in Chile, inspiring generations of activists and artists.
- The extradition of Barrientos to Chile is seen as a major step forward in the quest for truth and justice following one of the most controversial periods in Latin American history.
Source: www.stern.de
