Chilean National Arrested in Florida for Victor Jara’s Killing

A Chilean national, sought for his alleged involvement in the killing of leftist singer-songwriter Victor Jara 50 years ago, is now under custody in Florida, as confirmed by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Pedro Barrientos was apprehended during a routine traffic stop in Deltona, Florida, which was officially disclosed by ICE on a Tuesday.

John Condon, a special agent with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations Tampa division, released a written statement on the same day, asserting that Barrientos will now have to respond to the charges he’s facing in Chile regarding his suspected role in the torture and extrajudicial killing of Chilean citizens.

Jara, known for his communist affiliations, was one of the early victims of Chile’s military coup and dictatorship in 1973. His body bore the marks of 44 bullet wounds and showed signs of severe torture.

According to ICE’s statement, on September 11, 1973, General Augusto Pinochet orchestrated a violent coup against Salvador Allende, Chile’s democratically elected president. Subsequently, in the following weeks, numerous individuals were detained and subjected to torture in Chile Stadium, an indoor sports facility that the military had repurposed into a de facto detention center. Sadly, many of those detained either disappeared or were executed, with Victor Jara, a celebrated folk musician, being one of the most prominent victims.

Barrientos made his way to the United States in 1990, overstaying his visa, as detailed in court documents. Despite this, he managed to secure US citizenship by marrying an American.

In 2016, a civil jury in Florida rendered a verdict, holding Barrientos accountable for the death of Victor Jara and finding him liable for $28 million in damages to be awarded to Jara’s surviving family members.

This past summer, a judge took the step of revoking Barrientos’ US citizenship after determining that he had made false statements in his citizenship application by failing to disclose his association with Pinochet’s regime.