Stories written by Daniela Estrada
Daniela Estrada joined IPS in 2004 and has been the Santiago correspondent since July 2006. Also in 2006, her story titled "Pascua-Lama sí, pero no tocar glaciares" was singled out among 24 others from all over the world to receive the Project Censored Award from Sonoma State University in California.
Born in Santiago in 1981, Daniela Estrada has a degree in journalism from the Universidad de Chile and has worked for several media outlets in the field of technology.
As Catholic Church authorities in Latin America close ranks around the Vatican, whose credibility has been undermined by countless cases of child sex abuse committed by priests, other sectors are calling for major structural reforms in the institution.
Although there is not yet an official tally of the environmental consequences of Chile's Feb. 27 earthquake and tsunami, environmental groups and experts are calling for quick and sustainable responses to the problems.
Diario Uno, a newspaper with an innovative business model put out by a group of journalists and academics, went on sale Sunday in Chile, promising to provide a voice for those who do not feel represented by the country's economic model nor by the mainstream media.
Chilean environmentalists are promoting sustainable and inclusive reconstruction of their country in the aftermath of the Feb. 27 quake. They want better-planned cities and unconventional renewable energy sources.
The major earthquake that recently shook Chile - the fifth most powerful in the world since 1900 - and the subsequent tsunami not only destroyed thousands of homes, but wreaked havoc on historical monuments, museums, theatres, churches, parks and heritage zones.
Inadequacies in technical equipment, specialised human resources, institutional coordination, land zoning and citizen awareness were all laid bare by the major earthquake and subsequent tsunami on Feb. 27 in central and southern Chile.
Improving access to financial services and achieving "responsible credit" require ongoing dialogue on the part of companies, states and consumers, Juan Trímboli, regional coordinator of the Consumers International office in Latin America and the Caribbean, told IPS.
Chile still lacks experts capable of operating new anti-seismic technologies and the ability to disseminate emergency information among officials and the population.
While Chile's new rightwing President Sebastián Piñera, who announced that he would lead "a government of reconstruction," was being sworn in Thursday, the earthquake-ravaged country was shaken by major aftershocks.
Chile has begun to think about the costs and challenges of rebuilding a large part of the areas hit by the Feb. 27 earthquake and tsunami, while rescue and aid operations continue.
When Chile elected Michelle Bachelet as its first woman president in 2005, thousands of women celebrated the historic victory as their own personal triumph, proudly marching in the streets wearing mock presidential sashes. Today, men and women both recognise the concrete and symbolic progress achieved in gender issues under her administration.
While the number of victims of the severe earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile early Saturday has climbed to 723, government officials and experts admit that the catastrophe has highlighted institutional shortcomings and blunders.
Will right-wing billionaire Sebastián Piñera's arrival to the presidency in Chile modify the overall political outlook in Latin America? Analysts consulted in various countries have different takes on the question.
Over the next six months, a new commission will receive testimony from victims of the 1973-1990 dictatorship of the late General Augusto Pinochet, who have not qualified for reparations since Chile's return to democracy.
In its proposed constitutional reform, the Chilean government recognises that the availability of freshwater is a matter of national security. Environmentalists applaud the initiative, but some business groups are worried it will hurt their bottom line.
After 52 years without a victory at the ballot box, the political right is coming back to govern Chile, as multi-millionnaire businessman and former senator Sebastián Piñera narrowly won the run-off against Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle in Sunday's presidential election.
The constitutional declaration of water as a public good could put Chile on the same level as Uruguay and Ecuador as Latin American leaders in defending this essential resource.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed Monday the official document inviting Chile to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), making it the first South American member of the "rich countries' club".
Chile, touted as Latin America's great economic success story, has gone a long way towards reducing poverty and eliminating the country's slums. But a new study shows that disadvantages are still faced by 50,000 children living in shantytowns.
The climate change summit proved to be a "spectacular failure even according to its own terms," but civil society had "some successes," such as the inclusion of certain issues on the climate agenda, and making the voice of the South heard loud and clear.