Chile still shaking, Pinera inaugurated

Terremoto

Webcam chat at Ustream

A terrifyingly large magnitude 8.8 earthquake has shaken Chile. The epicenter appears to have been between Concepcion and Santiago. Buildings, bridges and roads have been destroyed. The live stream above comes courtesy of Television Nacional de Chile.

Both this earthquake and that of Haiti seem to have struck at particular times of promise for their respective countries. In the case of Chile, I am reminded of an interview I recently read with the president-elect of Chile, Sebastian Pinera. In the interview with Andres Oppenheimer he says:

"the big goal we have set for ourselves is that within eight years, by 2018, Chile becomes perhaps the first country in Latin America that with great pride, but also with humbleness, will be able to say, `We have defeated underdevelopment. We have defeated poverty.' Chile today has a per capita income of about $14,400 [a year], and we hope to reach to $24,000 by 2018..."

These priorities will no doubt now have to be reappraised. However, Chile is most certainly not Haiti. The response from the Bachelet government and chilenos thus far appears to have been proactive. Time will tell if this earthquake dramatically changes the national psyche.

Chile and Peru

If Chile and Peru are not quarrelling about the origins of Pisco, it's maritime borders, or the intemperate remarks of Peruvian generals about sending their southerly neighbors home in plastic bags, or any other subject under the hot Atacama Desert sun. For well over a hundred years the two have engaged in cheap shots, snubs, the sheltering of would be coup plotters, and all out war with each other.

Of late, the belligerents are at odds over the alleged discovery of a spying operation conducted by Chile which led to the arrest of a mid-ranking Peruvian Air Force officer. Peru's President, Alan Garcia, accused Chile of acting like a dictatorial pseudo-republic. Chile's outgoing President, Michelle Bachelet, has called the charges offensive and said that Chile is not in the business of spying.

South America's foreign affairs and defense ministers will meet on Friday in Ecuador. We'll check in to see if a smack-down ensues.