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March 12, 2010

Aftershock Hits Chile as New President Sworn In
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In Chile, a 7.2-magnitude aftershock hit a central region on Thursday,
the most powerful to hit Chile since the initial earthquake last week.
The aftershock came shortly before right-wing billionaire Sebastián
Piñera was sworn in as Chile’s new president. Piñera replaces Michelle
Bachelet, a former political prisoner who took office in 2006 as Chile’s
first female president. On the morning of the handover, hundreds of
people gathered at the presidential palace in Santiago for a farewell
ceremony. Bachelet supporters paid tribute to the outgoing president.

Bachelet Supporter #1: “She is a great example for the people, and I
think she will be remembered by history, not only because she is a
woman, but because of her concrete actions on social issues.”

Bachelet Supporter #2: “She has done a great job and made a great change
in the country. I am very sad because Piñera, in the end, marks a
regression in the political process. I believe he will manage things
badly.”

Bachelet was ineligible to run for reelection under a recent change to
Chilean term-limit laws. Piñera is Chile’s first right-wing president in
twenty years.



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