Víctor Jara

Chilean folk singer whose music became the soundtrack of revolution before his brutal murder during the 1973 coup

Víctor Jara (1932-1973) transformed Nueva Canción Chilena from folk tradition into revolutionary art. His song 'El Derecho de Vivir en Paz' became an anti-war anthem across Latin America, blending Mapuche indigenous rhythms with lyrics critiquing US imperialism.

During Salvador Allende's socialist government, Jara served as cultural ambassador, using open-air concerts to promote land reform and workers' rights. His final performance occurred days before Augusto Pinochet's coup, where he was detained in Chile Stadium (now renamed Víctor Jara Stadium).

Jara's legacy persists through forensic activism: when his exhumed hands revealed torture details in 2009, it reignited global protests. Artists from U2 to Ana Tijoux continue covering his music, making Jara a symbol of artistic resistance against authoritarianism.