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| Executive Travel: Santiago, Chile |
Traveling Wisely
By Nancy Wong Bryan
03/01/2005
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 Chile prides itself on having low crime and a professional and reliable uniformed police force, the carabineros. As a result, Santiago is one of the safest South American cities. “An inexperienced or unaware traveler may consider Chile to be a stereotypical Mexican-type experience; yet it is a very developed country, and their police force is not corrupt,” notes Jack Stradley, a managing director of the Crucible, a Fredricksburg, Va.-based security operations and training subsidiary of Kroll. “They’re great police officers, and they’re proud of that.”
Nonetheless, it is important to exercise caution and common sense; criminals do target travelers. The U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs warns that street crime, especially during the afternoon rush hour on public transportation or in other busy areas, is an ongoing problem in Santiago.
“There is a checklist of standard dos and don’ts that is the same laundry list you would use in any crowded area, whether it’s New York City or Santiago,” Stradley says. The main thing is to remain aware of your surroundings.
Pollution: Santiago sits in a valley near the center of the country, and its climate is mild yet seasonal. The winter (June and July) sees heavy, quick bouts of rain, but no snow, while the summer (December to February) is dry and hot. In the winter, the city grapples with air pollution caused by industrial and vehicular emissions that settle above the skyline, trapped in the valley. Clouds of dust from unpaved roads and hillside erosion can add to the miasma. The pollution is worse than anywhere in the United States, Stradley notes. “If it doesn’t rain or there’s no wind for a few days, it begins to collect,” he explains. “It isn’t as bad as Mexico City, but in the summer, it can become very noticeable.”
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