Yes, Friday was September 11th, but the U.S. wasn't the only country to mourn the disappearance of lives on this tragic anniversary. Chile has a dark past too. It's a touchy subject in Chile and one I don't want to lament about on my blog, you can do the research on your own if you are truly curious. But what I do want to comment about is my observations of the day. USAC cleverly removed the students from Santiago, the capitol and political front runner of protests and demonstrations on September 11th. The day reserved to protest any frustrations with the government, according to our Chilean neighbor, Jorge. Foreigners, I've been told, are dealt with severely for any interaction with protests.
Despite our avoidance of Santiago, in the port-city of Valpraiso, we observed a small group of 30 protesters waving signs and chanting for justice. Firefighters lined the downtown city corners, their purpose was veiled with donation cups, but I believe differently. I returned to Santiago on Saturday to find out that three people died in the city that night as a result of the protests.
In respect and generally curiosity, my roomies and I wandered to the small city of Cementeria. It's not a city, but it could be as expansive as it is. We visited the monument for the people that disappeared during the dictatorship of Pinochet. Next to the picture of one man read the sign, "?Donde Estan?"
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