‘Justice being served’: ex-soldier’s extradition signals hope for reckoning of Pinochet-era crimes | Chile
The case of the kidnapping and murder of Chilean folk singer Víctor Jara, a high-profile human rights case from the dictatorship of Gen Augusto Pinochet, is nearing a conclusion. Pedro Barrientos, a former soldier accused of the crimes, has been extradited from the US to Chile. Human rights lawyer Nelson Caucoto, who has represented the Jara family since 1998, welcomed the development but activists warn that justice for dictatorship-era atrocities continues to be elusive. According to data compiled by Diego Portales University’s transitional justice observatory, only a third of the 3,216 cases of forced disappearances and executions during the dictatorship have resulted in convictions. Amnesty International in Chile highlights the need for continued pursuit of justice to prevent future crimes.
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