Chile 2010: A year of surprises

Much has been said about the bicentennial year, but what it really means? We are celebrating the independence from Spain 200 years ago? , The classification to the World Cup? , Or the birth of a Chilean nation? There are a lot of different ways of understanding this anniversary, a variety of expectations about how many days would be holidays, but probably in what most people would agree is that it has been a year full of unexpected events.

The presidential election last year, where Piñera was elected, perhaps was the announcement of a change of tune in every way: February 27, a massive earthquake woke up every person in Chile; people were terrified after 2 minutes it took such tremendous natural event, the constructions were tested and many of them failed the test. Especially in the south the chaos reigned in the streets. In fact in the city of Concepción a crowd came to steal any object they could find, beyond food, was stolen refrigerators, TVs and many other things.

After a few months, when the commotion subsided, another terrible accident occurred in the north of the country: 33 miners were trapped after a mine collapse in San José. Immediately began rescue efforts, and after more than 2 months of hard work, they managed to rescue them alive. It was an epic story that became known all around the world: Chile could be a first world country.

However, this series of random events are only the visible screen of a country full of contradictions and problems. Nobody talks about the levels of poverty or social inequity when there is so much going on. The surface it just the pretty face, but under it there are plenty things that are not known or discussed. The politicians are also big entrepreneurs, the social problems that emerge from the bases seem not to matter, and the economic system rules our live, our education and even our mood.

Faced with this reality, how much we can celebrate? Rather than settle with a popular national party, we should be thinking how to make this country a more just, equal and libertarian place to live. After reaching this kind of society we would have something to celebrate at.