Chile Arrests Retired Colonel Wanted for Killing Folk Singer in 1973
Is this a victory for justice or a hollow reminder of decades of impunity?
Above: A flag depicting Victor Jara next to a national flag during a protest in Santiago on Jan. 17, 2020. Image credit: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This is a genuine victory in the long fight against impunity for Pinochet-era crimes. Condemned to 25 years for his role in the kidnapping and killing of Jara and Quiroga, Haase hid for years before authorities tracked him to a rural property in Los Lagos. No matter how long it takes, accountability is still possible.
Narrative B
This arrest is not justice, but rather a reminder of how long impunity has reigned in Chile. Half a century after Victor Jara's murder, this moment feels hollow. As long as those responsible for crimes against humanity remain at large, Chile's reckoning with its past remains unfinished.