Come to Chile for an authentic third-world experience!
@IracĂHassler
@PCdeChile
Ugh…i myself havent been there for many years, but his video shows how seedy it has become in short order
I was waiting for someone to come by and snatch the phone out of his hand.
That was what pretty much what I had assumed tourists in downtown Santiago must think these days. I’m very glad it has been a while since I have had to set foot there.
Santiago is the only city I have lived in where people have told me off for checking my phone in the street, on two occasions I have had my Chilean companions tell me to “put that phone away, or someone will steal it!”. And one of those occasions was outside Tobalaba metro, so it wasn’t like I was wondering around the slums. Virtually every Santiaguino I know has been robbed of their phone/wallet at least once, some violently, and another Chilena friend of mine is scared to go out after dark there now, despite living there her whole life. It was never the safest or cleanest city to begin with, but the 2019 shenanigans have seemingly turned it into a lawless garbage heap.
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We live in Provi. We have a rule: street lights on, head inside.
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My wife is now terrified if I go out just to do my normal business of life stuff (I do anyways in San Antonio), especially when I stay in Santiago (a “better” section of Quilicura). When I go about my business in Santiago, I no longer use my daypack; if necessary to bring the phone keep it hidden the ring volume turned off and send a WhatsApp tracking GPS message; don’t carry too much cash, etc. She commands the same for her two adult daughters, mother and extra vigilance with the nietos (fear of kidnapping). If going to especially sketchier areas or just everyday making the rounds, one should ideally be accompanied with a companion. And yes, after 7, things really can go downhill safety-wise.
The Lo Espejo comuna she grew up and where she needs to visit every couple of weeks to clean and checkup on an old apartment has been overrun with extrnajeros (Haitians, Colombians, Venezuelans) joining the Chilean flaites and delinquentes that used to rule the area. There is rubbish all over, drug dealers and threatening types hanging out at the corners and walking and driving around, constant loud music, gunshots, etc. you get the picture. Our realtor in the family has received full cash offers to snap up the place with the obvious observation they are most likely drug dealers/mafia.
Even the old established middle class area of Independencia (Karol Cariola’s district) where her mother, daughters and nietos live has experienced a noticeable decrease in quality of life and more crime.
Just cherry picking.
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Yeah. My husband during the pandemic was transferred to the Lo Espejo office of his agency. He lately has had to go in a few times a week after teleworking for over 2 years. That was where the recent break-in attempt occurred. Last week a woman who was unhappy with the service she had received (not even in that office, in El Tabo) came into the center and showed him a knife. It took him an hour and a half to calm her down and get her out of here. She said she had more knives in the car.
His boss is asking their higher-ups to either get them an office in a more secure area or hire a guard. Some centers in rougher parts of Santiago have security guards. Hopefully the knife incident will help his boss’ case.
He has asked if there is an option to switch with a lawyer in the Buin or Paine offices, thinking someone might be commuting from Santiago and would prefer a shorter commute. Unfortunately, they all live locally. He is keeping an eye out for openings in his agency in those areas. Even Rancagua would probably be better and there is a train.
It sucks. I am fortunate I can steer clear of all that working from home in a tranquil area. But, I worry about him every time he has to go to the office.
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Sorry to hear that is happening to you guys. Annoying and draining for sure.
I live close to Los Leones, and recently we have seen Leones being used as a highway for illegals headed south. To where they are going, no idea. But they are using Leones as their personal highway to pass through the city. More and more… Also, the flaites also seem to be more of a commonplace in Provi. Young kids. 100% still living with mommy and daddy acting gangster outside. They are populating like rabbits.
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We had to go to San Miguel/La Cisterna yesterday to buy a part for our car and drop off a key to my husband’s office at his boss’ apartment. Where I had to get out of the car to buy the part we needed, a lot of businesses were open, but serving customers with the metal bars closed and this was at 10 AM. I got out of the car with just my debit card and phone in my pocket.
In 2019, pre-estallido I had to go to that area various times to deal with Compin and Fonasa offices and it didn’t feel as sketchy as it did yesterday.
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Hmm, that is strange about the illegal migrant highway. I wonder where they are headed.