Chile Enforces Curfew Amid Nationwide Power Outage Crisis

A significant power outage in Chile has led to a nationwide curfew and emergency declarations, affecting millions. President Gabriel Boric criticized power companies for the failure and ongoing instability of electricity restoration.

In a dramatic response to a widespread blackout that left millions without power, the Chilean government has declared a state of emergency and enforced a curfew. The outage, which began in the afternoon, impacted about eight million households from the northern port of Arica to the southern Los Lagos region, including the capital city, Santiago.

The blackout resulted in malfunctioning traffic lights, stranded individuals in elevators, and a complete shutdown of the subway system. President Gabriel Boric addressed the nation in a press conference, expressing empathy for the difficulties faced by citizens. He shared that a curfew would be in place from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the affected regions, with over 300,000 students unable to attend school on Wednesday due to safety concerns.

By late Tuesday evening, power had been restored to approximately half of those affected, with Boric cautioning that the recovery process was both slow and fraught with instability. He attributed the outage to failures within the transmission system and condemned the power companies for their handling of the crisis, calling the situation "outrageous."

To maintain order and assist the recovery, military and police were deployed to the hardest-hit areas. Meanwhile, essential services such as hospitals, airports, and prisons were relying on backup generators, according to the national disaster management agency. The crisis has sparked significant public concern regarding infrastructure reliability and the responsiveness of utility companies.