Entering the depths of hell

I am writing from Potosi, Bolivia, a city with a tragic past, a shocking present, and an uncertain future. Since the city founding in 1545, life in Potosi has been centered entirely around the Cerro Rico(Rich Mountain) and its seemingly limitless supply of silver and other precious metals. The mountain, visibly decaying from nearly 500 years of explosive mining, has a history that is unsettlingly riddled with cruelty, greed, and death. Having discovered the enormous potential for wealth that lay beneath the Cerro Rico, the Spanish conquistadors enslaved native men to forced them to work in the most hellish conditions imaginable. It is said that around 80% of these men perished in the mines, thus creating an unmet need for labor and a major problem for the greedy Spanish rulers. A solution came in the form of the importation of 30,000 African slaves who, like their indigenous predecessors, were treated more like animals than human beings, commonly working 4 months straight in the mines without seeing the light of day. As hundreds of thousands died, Potosi quickly became the largest and wealthiest city in the world. The streets were pathed in silver, the mountain bathed in blood. The Spanish Empire, thanks largely to the silver mines of the Cerro Rico, aqcuired unprecedented riches that went on to fund the continuation of their violent conquests. By the time the 18th century had come to an end, the silver supply had depleted significantly and the riches that once defined the city of Potosi would soon only exist in the history books. Extraordinary wealth was obtained, but at a tremendous cost. It is estimated that 8 million indegenous people and slaves have perished in the silver mines.
Though precious metal extraction eventually slowed and the Spanish wealth mongers had moved on, mining continued much in the same way and, to this day, continues to be the centerpoint of the local economy. I wish I could report that injustice has been defeated in the mines of the Cerro Rico, but that could not be farther from the truth. Forced labor, in its strictest sense, has come to an end, but the poor people of Potosi find themselves slaves to their dire circumstances. Men, unable to provide for their families, have no choice but to go to work in the mines. Conditions are so harsh that the vast majority die as a result of pulmonary complications before their 40th birthday. The stories of these men, devastating as they may may be, are not the true tragedy of the present day mines. Working along side the 20, 30, and 40 year olds, the walking dead, are hundreds of boys between the ages of 12 and 17. These kids, mostly fatherless, come from the poorest families in Potosi. For further insight into this horrific situation, watch the remarkable film ¨The Devils Miner¨. It will open your eyes to a situation so terrible, one would think it could only be the material of nightmares.

Today I chose to take a guided tour of one of the fully functional mines. Despite my awareness of the Cerro Rico´s bloody history, I did not expect this experience to be particualrly difficult. My idea of ¨tourism¨ has certainly changed since coming to South America, but, before today, I anticipated a certain level of comfort and safety from all travel experiences. Boy was I wrong. I spent the day crouching and crawling my way through the most inhospitable conditions I have ever found myself in. With every breath I inhaled air visibly filled with dust, the same dust that eventually kills the locals after years working in the mine. After two brutal hours underground, I finally emerged, feeling as though I had escaped the depths of hell. And actually, according to the local belief system, describing the mines as hell is not far from the truth. It is commonly believed that God´s influence ceases to exist at the opening of each mine, at which point one has entered the devil´s territory. For this reason, miners make sacrifices to the ¨Tio¨(devil), and ask that he keep them safe and give them luck in their search for metals. Having been in the mines, I can attest that there is no hope down there, only an eerie, empty feeling left behind by years of pain, death and suffering. I am very glad to have had such an eye opening experience, but my heart aches to see the desperate circumstances these people find themselves in.

Responses to comments-
Ryan- Tell your mom that I promise never to get any Spring Break Cancun tattoos. I definitely plan on hanging out with you a lot more, so dont worry, I wont travel my whole life away. Maybe you could join me on an adventure someday! Tell your new crayfish hello and that I hope he lives longer than you expect him to. Tell everyone else in the family hello as well!

Hilda- Thanks for your concern, Im feeling all better. I miss the girls already, did they make it home safely? Cant wait for dinner!