Where's the Fame and Fortune for 'The 33' a Year After the Mining Accident?

Friday marked one year since the world watched the Copiapó mine burry alive 33 men for 69 days, 2,300 feet under the earth. Although the mining disaster shoved them into the spotlight, international media attention came and went in a flash. Now, with only four of the men back to mining, most are facing the dark reality of poverty. 

The infamously unstable 121-year-old copper and gold mine, located in the dry abyss of the Atacama Desert, caved-in early Thursday afternoon August 5, 2010. For seven days, friends and family of the miners waited on edge to see if their fathers, husbands and friends were dead or alive.  The Chilean government took over the search from the San Esteban Mining Company and drilled eight holes in search of the lost men. Over two weeks after the cave-in, the drillers pulled up a note taped to the to one of the drills. It read, “We doing well in the shelter, the 33.”

Ecstasy swept the whole country.  Almost two months later, they emerged from the earth one-by-one as the world’s eyes, glued to the television, watched the first miner’s joyous embrace with his teary-eyed young son. Each miner resurfaced and shared an emotional reunion with their loved ones.

A year after the accident, things changed. Following the rescue, President Sebastián Piñera led Chile with a 63 percent approval rating. Now, a political black sheep with a dismal 26% approval rating, Piñera met only some of the miners on Friday with little fanfare.  

When searching for “Pinera” and “Mineros” (miners) on Twitter, a young boy punching Piñera square in nose at the event dominates the results page. On Monday, there’s almost no mention of his reunion with the miners.

Rumors fly around Chile that they are rolling in dough due to the interviews, a movie and a book. But many of the miners are still looking for a way to make a living. Pedro Cortés, the youngest of the 33 at 26-years old, said he’s unhappy with the media’s portrayal of the miners.

Cortés told El Pais, “I still have psychological problems. I can’t sleep. I'm in debt, and I have no job."

Journalist Jonathan Franklin, author of 33 Men, told NPR:

“Psychologically, a lot of them would say, 'I'm going back to mining. I'm a tough guy. I'm a miner.' But I remember one of them explaining that he lasted two minutes, and he was so scared that he got dizzy and he ran out of the mine.”

Although their efforts are too little, too late for all but four of the 33, the government has increased certain mining-safety procedures. The National Geology and Mining Service, or Sernageomin, said that the number of mining deaths in Chile has halved since 2010. From January to June of 2011, 12 workers died. The same time last year that number was 27. Sernageomin pointed to stepped-up safety measures, inspections and number of inspectors. To tighten up security going forward, the organization said it plans to get more small mines registered, which means greater regulations and, fingers crossed, no more disasters.