A Year Later, the Chilean Miners Aren't Doing Too Well

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Erik Hayden 4,138 Views Oct 12, 2011

Exactly one year has passed since the inspirational rescue of the long-trapped Chilean miners who were finally freed. Since that time, however, the "where are they now" stories haven't painted a too flattering portrait: many are still in poverty and some, naturally, are still suffering from psychological fallout from their experience. Today, The New York Times offers a "one year later" view of the entire aftermath, interviewing many of the miners and surveying their prospects. And those prospects still don't look very good

One year after their globally televised rescue, after the worldwide spotlight faded and the trips and offers have dwindled, the miners say that most of them are unemployed and that many are poorer than before. ... Only a handful of them have steady jobs, they say. Just four have returned to mining.

We also learn that some employers have shied away from hiring the miners due to fears of "psychological scarring," and that "many are counting on a Hollywood movie about them — which still does not have a script — to be their economic savior." But, perhaps most surprising, as The Times reports, is this detail: "The miners say that they have been better appreciated abroad than at home in Chile." 

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