Víctor Jara's Real Name: Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez

Quick answer: Víctor Jara's real name was Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez. He was born on September 28, 1932, in Lonquén (near San Ignacio), Chile, and was killed on September 16, 1973, in Santiago in the days after the military coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende. He is remembered as a central voice of Chile's Nueva Canción movement (Archivo Víctor Jara; Library of Congress).

Theater and song

Jara trained in theater, becoming a noted director and teacher while writing songs that mixed folk forms with social themes. Married to British-born dancer Joan Turner (Joan Jara), he helped shape Chile's cultural scene in the 1960s. Songs such as "Te recuerdo Amanda," "Plegaria a un labrador" and "El derecho de vivir en paz" entered the shared repertoire of Latin American protest and folk music. He supported Allende's Popular Unity government culturally, not as an elected official (Archivo Víctor Jara).

Death after the 1973 coup

On September 11, 1973, the Chilean military seized power. Jara was detained with others at the Estadio Chile (now Estadio Víctor Jara). He was tortured and murdered days later; his body was found bearing fatal injuries. Decades afterward, Chilean and U.S. courts pursued criminal cases against former officers; some convictions and civil judgments entered the public record. This page records that he was killed by state agents after the coup and does not describe injuries in detail (Archivo Víctor Jara; major wire coverage of later trials).

Legacy

Joan Jara's memoir and ongoing archive work preserved his manuscripts and reputation. Artists worldwide cover his songs; the stadium renaming and annual remembrances in Chile keep his name in public space. For name-search purposes: he did not use a separate stage name — Víctor Jara is the short form of Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez.