Solidarity in movement

Chile is a very intense country, for the good things and for the bad things, at least to me. It is the stunning nature, the political history, the lack of equity, the earthquakes. It is a country with a constant pathos hard to escape.

The last earthquake is still in everyone’s mind. More than 205 aftershocks stronger than 4.9 degrees on the Richter scale, plus the prediction of a future aftershock of Richter 7 by the earthquake guru, Serigio Barrientos, Director from de Seismological Institute, are a painful reminder that this is not over. At least eight more weeks to go.

Earthquakes are part of Chilean history, culture and part of the very private biographies. Everyone remembers well the more recent historic earthquakes, almost like my generation remembers where they were and how they learned about the Kennedy Assassination, or how younger people will remember the USA 9/11 (Chile had a prior 9/11, in 1973, when General Augusto Pinochet took power).

Chile has rebuilt many times. In 1939 and again in 1960 when it suffered the strongest earthquake in recorded history and today, with half a million homes destroyed or uninhabitable and 45% of businesses with some significant damage, this country is ready to start again.

“Don Francisco” (Mario Kreutzberger), the biggest Chilean TV personality and also the King of Latino TV in the USA with his Sábados Gigantes program, is launching a telethon tonight with all the Latino American superstars, many of them stranded in Chile since the earthquake while participating in the Festival de Viña del Mar, one of the most prestigious music events of the Spanish-speaking world.

The heavy traffic in Santiago, a city surrounded by mountains and covered with smog, is almost back to normal. The streets are humming with activity and giant posters from at least a dozen institutions, companies and organizations calling for solidarity and help with slogans like “Sólo un Chile” (only one Chile), or “Chile en el Corazón” (Chile in our hearts).

This country, a model to Latino America with tremendous economic growth and 20 years exercising democracy after a traumatic history of military rule, also has intense political debate only few days before the presidential transition from center left Michelle Bachellet to Sebastián Piñera leading a right coalition. He is the third richest man in Chile. Issues go from deploying military in the streets to blame about the tsunami alert systems and communications.

There are still small southern towns without water or power, but mostly, things are starting to move and even the Air Force is distributing help, shown in photos that perhaps one day will change the historic perception about the role of military in this country.

Intensity feels good today, when everyone is helping and trying their best with passion. Looting virtually ended and distribution of water, milk and flour started in the most affected areas. In Chile, distribution is the key during earthquakes and even during normal times.

If you want to help the victims, Google has a very easy way to do it.

http://www.google.com/intl/es/relief/chileearthquake/

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