Chilean government makes deal with supermarkets to give out free food.

[Cleita]

Sorry I don't have a link but it was announced on MSNBC. The Chilean government has made a deal with the supermarkets to hand out water and basic food to people in need in order to curtail looting. They feel the food would go to waste anyway so better to get it to the people in need who have been affected by this disaster. Now why couldn't we do this when Hurricane Katrina hit? Instead there was story after story of people supposedly looting who were in fact desperate for food and water and those who would sell it on the black market like happened in Haiti. This way no news' honeys from FOX can accuse people of looting and being hooligans.

Chile has always been a democracy even during the dark years of the Pinochet dictatorship, the heart of democracy was there even if it had gone underground. This is how a true democratic government operates. They also have universal health care.

[niyad]

1. great scott, I am in shock--imagine coming up with a solution like that--FEED the people, don't let

the food go to waste--

makes me even more ashamed of how the victims of katrina were treated.

[Mika]

10. Shocking indeed.

Cuba does this every day. Except the US RW media calls it a "ration".

---

[prolesunited]

2. You mean they don't want to shoot or arrest people?

[Cleita]

3. The military will have a presence but only to make sure people

wait their turn in line. But that makes sense.

[prolesunited]

5. That makes sense and will make it safer for all

The Katrina moment that sticks with me is when people were not allowed to cross the bridge to safety

[Cleita]

6. Not only that they sent in Blackwater mercenaries, because

much of the Louisiana National Guard were overseas, who were shooting people because they were trying to get water and food.

[XemaSab]

7. Let's see...

Yup, looks like the Chileans are "finders" and not "looters."

[Turbineguy]

4. The repubs

would prefer the Haitian model. Building codes are a socialist phenomenon. Haiti showed us that free market forces are better at protecting people.

[niyad]

8. off to greatest with you

[Cleita]

9. Update. I couldn't find any links until now.

Although it doesn't mention the deal with the markets it does mention the distribution of free food and water from distribution points.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8542122.stm

During Sunday's news conference, Ms Bachelet announced a series of emergency measures:
The Maule and Concepcion regions are being placed under special rules to speed up the delivery of aid
The air force will fly supplies to both areas and the military will take a leading role in distributing them
In Maule and Biobio basic goods will be handed out free of charge. Distribution points are yet to be decided.
Electricity is a big concern and the government is working to guarantee distribution