Disaster Capitalism and the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami of 27 February 2010

This paper addresses the earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile in the early morning of 27 February 2010.    It analyzes the responses of the neoliberal state, the private and public press, and the large economic conglomerates to discursively, politically and economically profit from the catastrophe despite the weaknesses that appeared in the neoliberal state‘s ability to prepare for the earthquake and for mitigating its consequences.   It shows that a discourse of anomie and chaos fuelled by the press allowed for criminalizing the population, in particular the poor, and for occupying militarily vast regions of the country.  It also discusses the deployment of charity as a means for the large monopolistic companies that dominate the Chilean economy to advertise their products and clean their images tainted by their practices during decades of neoliberalism.   It finally addresses the resilience, solidarity and resistance of the population.