The ideological polarization that framed the Cold War period (1945– 1989)
affected not only international relations but also the social commitments
and aesthetic options of those artists and cultural activists who instigated
the Latin American decolonization processes of the 1960s and 1970s.
In this framework, the positivistic signature of the socialist-capitalist
divide drove the decolonizing forces of the region to mistrust any form of
popular culture produced from the industrial capitalist centers of power.
Anglo-American rock was generally perceived as working against facilitating
social class awareness. This article investigates the points of convergence
and disagreement between these two movements, paying special attention
to Violeta Parra and Víctor Jara’s aesthetic and ethical viewpoints, both of
whom are foundational and emblematic members of the Chilean “nueva
canción” movement.