Chilean miners still trapped.

After being sworn into office in February, during the immediate aftermath of one of the most devastating earthquakes to hit Chile in history, Piñera could certainly do with associating himself with a bit of good news.

Senator Isabel Allende (daughter of the late Salvador Allende, the left-wing president killed during Augusto Pinochet’s violent political coup) has told local press that under no circumstances should the rescue mission be hurried along to suit the president’s agenda.

Piñera’s team has denied any political motivation behind the announcement that the miners could be liberated as soon as this weekend.

The mere fact that this debate has arisen once again highlights the painfully sensitive relationship between the left and right in Chile. Given the task ahead and the potential risks involved in the final stage of the rescue, one would think that politicising this story would be in very bad taste. This event cannot be regarded as a potential photo-op for Piñera, nor should it be used as an opportunity for the left to bash their opponent. Safety should obviously be of prime importance.

The safe rescue of all 33 miners will certainly make for an uplifting story of Chilean strength, courage and faith – helping to prolong the patriotic sentiments still hanging in the air after Chile’s bicentenary celebrations last month. But a happy ending should not overshadow some of the wider issues simply because a feel-good story is more palatable.

And here’s to hoping that the mining story does not slip off the world news agenda when the men are rescued – there is still plenty to report on. How do the government and mining companies plan on enforcing strict mining safety regulations so that an event like this can be avoided in the future? How will the men and their families be compensated for the distress they have endured over the last few months and how will San Esteban Mining Company tackle the debt incurred during this debacle? These questions must be raised once the miners are recovered safely.

Our parents were on the 35^th floor of one of the tallest buildings in Santiago. I remember reassuring my sister, telling her they would be fine, that the building was strong – but I don’t think I was sure of anything at that point.

We didn’t get out of the bed we were sharing until the intense jolting finally stopped. We quickly felt our way out of the darkness grabbing shoes, phones, keys and our beloved old cat as we fled the apartment and made our way out onto the street.

Outside the building we were joined by other scared and dishevelled neighbours. I stood near the open window of a car that had its radio blaring as the first frenzied reports came through. Phone communication was impossible at that point – but after some time, perhaps 40 minutes later, a text message came through from my father telling us they were out on the street and fine.

We later learnt that my parents had been sure their numbers were up when the quake hit. As their room began to shudder they managed to roll out of bed and onto the floor. Seconds later the bed shot through into the living room and the headboard crashed to the floor as the building began to sway and shake violently. They were able to make it down the thirty-five flights of stairs once the worst of the movement had stopped. Reunited within several hours, we were some of the lucky ones. Over the weekend we yo-yoed between feelings of relief that we were safe and horror as the catastrophe began to unfold elsewhere in the country.

Other regions of the Chile, particularly further South and on the coast, have been devastated beyond belief. Over half a million people have lost their homes, the death toll is in the seven hundreds and rising, many people are still anxiously awaiting news from family and friends while armed looters now add to the terror that is already being felt by many. The live testimonies from survivors, constantly being aired across local radio stations, give a voice to the tragedy.

Aftershocks continue and millions of people in the most effected areas are still desperate for basic necessities. Rescue and aid efforts, and the maintenance of order must come first, followed by the process of rebuilding this shaken country. Chile is a humble nation, reserved, modest – but also quietly strong and inherently proud. This country will no doubt rise to such an undeserved challenge and continue to flourish again, but it will take time. Fuerza Chile lindo.

View from the 35th floor of a building in Santiago, Chile. Photocredit: Fiona Scott/Periscope Post