Fugitive colonel finally jailed in Chilean murder case, decades after the crime

SANTIAGO, Chile -- More than half a century passed before some measure of justice was served over the weekend for the murder of popular Chilean singer-songwriter Víctor Jara. Chilean police on Saturday arrested a retired military colonel who had been a fugitive for three years after being convicted of kidnapping and murdering Jara during Chile’s military dictatorship and sentenced to 25 years in prison.Despite the arrest, the musician's family says they are not completely satisfied.“We learned that retired Colonel Nelson Haase Mazzei, who had been a fugitive from justice since 2023, was found and imprisoned. We appreciate this news,” said Jara's daughter, Amanda Jara, in a letter published Sunday night. However, she added, “it is difficult to consider this justice.”The prominent military figure had been sentenced to 25 years and two days in prison for the kidnapping and murder of Jara and then-Director General of Prisons Littré Quiroga Carvajal.Haase Mazzei, 80, was convicted in 2018 and his sentence was increased in 2023, along with those of six other military officers. The crimes are considered to be among the most emblematic examples of the brutality that marked the 17-year dict...