Dilenquency here in Chile after the dictatorship has skyrocketed. The reasons are probably quite numerous, all having to do with the dictatorship itself: 1) During the dictatorship, there was a curfew initically between 9 pm to 7 am. Gradually, the window of time shrunk until the curfew only lasted between 1 am to 6 am. Given that there were armed military units patrolling the neighborhoods, night time robbery was a risky option at best or a great way to get your ass shot at worst. 2) After Pinochet took power, the iron hand of neoliberal, free-market reform descended upon Chile, forcing painful economic changes. In fact, the unemployment rate was about 13 or 14 percent when Pinochet left the presidency. To the Concertación's credit, today the unemployment rate is about 6 or 7% - ironically half of what the military dictatorship could do. Or is it? The transition to democracy in Chile did not challenge the fundamental economic structure enforced before, essentially continuing the process of economic neoliberalism. This strikes me as a little strange, especially when a supposedly Socialist president is in power. Contradiction, it seems, is the rule in Latin America. 3) Given the harsh economic structure and the consequent opening of the society after the dictatorship, obviously dilenquency is on the rise.

This, of course, leads to people taking precaution. Nobody wants their car stolen in the middle of the night right outside of their house. The solution? Gates.


There are a ton of different types of gates. In a capitalistic economy, all gates are not created equal, the rich ones obviously getting all of the attention. Some are probably electrified, and others are probably laced with some sort of horrible Mapuche curse. Anyway, everyday as I walk through my neighborhood (or any part of Santiago, really), I dream about jumping over these gates, kicking the huge ass german shepard barking his head off at me on the other side, perhaps marking my territory gloriously with urine, and jumping back, stealing an empanada in the process. In all cases, I would obviously be a master of the parkourian art of movement, and thus, such 6-foot gates with razor sharp spikes would pose no threat to me.

Give me a break. I need to have something to do while walking, given that I lack any sort of isolating portable music device.

Labels: chile, musings, wishes