The Aug. 15 earthquake in Peru could give Chile an opportunity to reduce tensions between the two countries. Until Chilean-Peruvian tensions significantly diminish, the Chilean government will not...
The earthquake that hit Peru on Aug. 15 gives Chile an opportunity to extend aid — and thereby potentially improve a relationship that has oscillated between tense and very tense for about as long as the two countries have existed.
The use of aid packages to calm neighborly tensions has great historical precedent. In 1999 Greece and Turkey dramatically improved their relationship after exchanging aid following two earthquakes. And the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia created an opportunity for Australia (and to a lesser extent the United States) to improve its ties with Jakarta.
A recent spike in tensions between Chile and Peru occurred Aug. 12, when Peruvian government newspaper El Peruano published a map of maritime boundary claims the country is taking to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In response to the map, Chilean congressman Jorge Tarud said Chile’s navy is ready to defend the country’s sovereignty.