EL SUENO Existe, the festival that celebrates spirit of revolution in Latin America, returns to Machynlleth next weekend and will be a heady cocktail of films, poetry, political talks and music.

The festival celebrates the life and times of Victor Jara, a Chilean musician and leading light of the democratic movement, who was tortured and murdered by the fascist regime of General Pinochet, who took power following a coup in 1973.

This year, the focus of the two day festival is on the central American Country of Nicaragua and the celebrations start on Friday evening, July 20, at Y Plas with an evening of Nicaraguan films.

Also on hand is Florence Juegey, a Nicaraguan film director who will be talking about the films shown.

During Saturday poet Ruben Dario will be appearing as well as author and Latin American expert Adam Feinstein

Festival director Tony Corden said: “This year it’s our mini two-day festival rather than the three day one.

“We are focussing on Nicaragua as it’s the 50th anniversary of the Nicaraguan campaign for democracy and the ambassador will be visiting

“We have a film director here to speak, and there will be poetry, talks interspersed with music.

“We have Quimanty the UK’s foremost Chilean group performing here as well as the Copihue Collectivo.”

This year there is an added poignancy – 45 years since Jara’s death, eight retired military officers have been sentenced to 15 years of jail for his murder.

Tony added: “The timing this year is extraordinary as only last week, the officers who murdered Victor Jara were imprisoned.

For more details of the events visit elsuenoexiste.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/nicaragua-mini-festival-2018-2.pdf

Victor Jara, 40, was a celebrated singer, theatre director and university professor who sympathised with the socialist government of Salvador Allende, who was ousted in the 1973 coup by General Augusto Pinochet.

He was detained along with students, fellow academics and scores of others in a football stadium that has since been named after him. Three days later his body was found.

His family, including UK-born ballerina wife Joan and his daughter Amanda, has fought a long-running campaign for justice in his case and had his body exhumed in 2009 for a full .