**Chile Implements Curfew Following Nationwide Power Outage**

Chile recently faced a significant blackout that left eight million residents without power, prompting a curfew and government action.

In a dramatic response to a nationwide blackout that struck on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the Chilean government declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The blackout impacted the majority of the country, including the capital, Santiago, and affected over eight million households, from Arica in the north to Los Lagos in the south.

The power outage, which started in the afternoon, resulted in the failure of traffic lights, left individuals stuck in elevators, and halted operations on the subway system in Santiago. Schools located in affected regions will also be closed the following day, impacting around 300,000 students, as officials reacted to what President Gabriel Boric described as a "difficult day for millions of countrymen."

Later in the evening, Boric announced that power had been restored to roughly four million households. However, he cautioned that the situation remained unstable, indicating that recovery efforts were still in their early stages. He criticized the power companies, pointing to their failure to prevent and address the blackout sooner, calling the situation "outrageous." Officials attributed the outage to a failure in the transmission system.

In reaction to growing unrest, soldiers and police were deployed to assist in maintaining order in the most affected regions. Helicopters were seen surveying the city of Santiago as emergency services, hospitals, and airports operated on backup generators while the power was restored. The national disaster agency provided updates on the continued response efforts across the country.

The implications of this significant power failure will likely shape debates around infrastructure reliability and emergency preparedness in Chile in the coming weeks.