Severe Earthquake Rocks Andean Nation

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit the South American nation of Chile on February 27, causing massive destruction. The quake and its aftershocks toppled thousands of houses, killing hundreds and leaving 1.5 million more displaced. Entire sides of buildings were sheared off, and water services and electricity were knocked out in many areas. Half a million homes suffered considerable damage, and gasoline was unavailable in many places. Some cities did not have adequate police to control all who were seeking food and supplies from damaged and unguarded supermarkets, and reports of looting raised fears about security.

Declaring a state of catastrophe in the hardest-hit regions, Chile’s president at the time, Michelle Bachelet, worked to restore order and distribute aid speedily. The Chilean Office of Emergency Management used helicopters to bring in specialized firefighters and search dogs for the rescue effort. Bachelet soon announced an agreement between the government and the major supermarkets to allow basic foodstuffs to be given away.

The earthquake triggered a tsunami that topped 8 feet when it hit the coastal city of Valparaíso, 200 miles from the quake’s epicenter. The tsunami provided a test of the Pacific basin region’s tsunami-warning network. Evacuations were ordered in places as far away as Hawaii, 7,000 miles from the Chilean coast. In Hawaii officials first predicted waves 6–10 feet high, but when the waves ultimately hit, they were less than 3 feet. The time of arrival, however, was forecast accurately within five minutes. Since even small tsunamis can inflict great damage, particularly in harbors, officials are generally pleased with the warning system’s operation.

Related Links

  • 1.5 Million Displaced after Chile Quake
    This New York Times story covers the 8.8 earthquake that left hundreds of thousands of Chileans homeless and killed hundreds; includes photos and videos.
    (Source: New York Times, February 27, 2010)
  • Security Concerns Spread as Chile Quake Death Toll Rises
    This article recounts the effects of the deadly earthquakes that hit Chile, including the widespread looting; includes a video of the devastation and the perilous security situation and a link to follow-up stories.
    (Source: CNN, March 1, 2010)
  • Chile Quake 2010: Tsunami Warning System Worked as Intended
    This article discusses how the tsunami threat to Hawaii and other Pacific islands caused by the severe earthquakes in Chile was handled; includes photos from Chile.
    (Source: Christian Science Monitor, March 1, 2010)
  • Chile Earthquake Damage: Reference Map
    This special-purpose map shows the extent of earthquake damage in different areas, spreading out from the epicenter in Maule, Chile.
    (Source: The University of Texas)
  • Map of Chile
    Chile is located on the South Pacific coast of South America; the epicenter of the quake was north of the city of Concepción.
    (Source: The University of Texas)

Other Issues in the Region

Income Gap

Latin America has abundant resources, but a small percentage of the people have benefited most from those resources. According to the World Bank, the richest 10 percent of the population of Central and South America and the Caribbean earn 48 percent of the region’s income. The poorest 10 percent earn only 1.6 percent. Attitudes about race and ethnicity are one reason for the widespread inequality in Latin America. Indigenous peoples and Latin Americans of African descent have fewer educational and job opportunities than whites. High-quality public services, such as health care, water, electricity, and sewage, are unequally divided according to race and socioeconomic status. The World Bank found that unequal distribution of resources hinders development and can be traced to patterns set up during European colonization. Solving the problem will require wise leadership, participatory democracy, and changes in social and political institutions to bring about reform.

  • Prudent Chile Thrives Amid Downturn
    The economies of developing nations around the world, including in Latin America, have been hurt by the global recession of 2008–09. Thanks to careful management of windfall profits in its copper industry, Chile has been able to weather the storm.
    (Source: Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2009)

Giving Citizens a Voice

On September 11, 2001, the same day that terrorists attacked the United States, members of the Organization of American States (OAS), were meeting in Lima, Peru, to demonstrate their commitment to democracy. Among them were Canada, the United States, Mexico, and countries of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. They signed the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The first article of the charter states, “The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy, and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it. Democracy is essential for the social, political, and economic development of the peoples of the Americas.”

The charter spells out basic elements of a representative democracy. It emphasizes the importance of human rights and urges the participation of all citizens. It calls for the elimination of all forms of discrimination and addresses the need to eliminate poverty and illiteracy. Economic development and education are stressed as important factors in strengthening the democratic process.

  • Democracy Clause an Obstacle to Cuba in OAS
    A report published by the head of the OAS Jose Miguel Insulza stated that Cuba would have to commit to democracy before the OAS would consider reinstating it. The report comes in the wake of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, where several countries, including Venezuela and Brazil, requested that Cuba be reinstated.
    (Source: Reuters, April 13, 2009)

Rain Forest Resources

Brazil’s rainforest covers a majority of the country’s land. The forest is said to contain 30 percent of Earth’s plant and animal species, and the oxygen produced by its plant life has given the region the nickname “the lungs of the world.” But Brazil’s growing population and expanding economy, particularly its agricultural economy, are putting new demands on the rainforests. Brazil’s government is struggling to find a balance between rainforest preservation and economic growth.

  • Peru Faces Water Versus Oil Dilemma
    Peru is welcoming mining companies, as well as companies interested in looking for oil and gas, to come hunt for natural resources in the country’s Amazon rainforest region, which covers over half the country. But some regions of the country feel that mining and digging for oil should be halted in favor of protecting the environment.
    (Source: BBC, April 6, 2009)

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