Hasta la victoria

'Hasta la victoria' is a politically committed album that Mercedes Sosa released in 1972, in the context of the rise of revolutionary movements in Latin America. The title is a nod to the famous phrase of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, 'Hasta la victoria siempre', and the album includes songs of revolutionary content and support for the popular struggles of the continent. Recorded at RCA studios, the album presents a repertoire of songs by authors of the Nuevo Cancionero, such as Atahualpa Yupanqui, Víctor Jara, and Carlos Puebla himself.

The song 'Hasta la victoria' is a song by Carlos Puebla that became an anthem of the Latin American left; 'Zamba del Che' (by Rubén Ortiz and Félix Luna) is another of the standout tracks, a tribute to the Argentine-Cuban guerrilla fighter. 'Canción del hombre nuevo' and 'Por Vietnam' complete an album that leaves no doubt about Mercedes's political sympathies, who by then was openly Peronist and supported anti-colonial struggles. The music accompanies the political content with straightforward arrangements without concessions to commerciality, with guitars and bombos as the main accompaniments.

The legacy of 'Hasta la victoria' is that of a brave album that assumes an explicit political position in a turbulent moment of Argentine and Latin American history. Although this earned it criticism from conservative sectors and the dictatorship that was approaching, it also won it the admiration and support of the popular majorities and progressive sectors. Mercedes would never renounce her convictions, despite persecution and exile. 'Hasta la victoria' is a testament to her commitment and the power of song as a tool for struggle and social transformation.