Chile Roundup: Power outages, internet traffic, illegal drugs

Illicit drugs found at Chilean police station

Drugs including marijuana and cocaine were discovered in the false ceiling of a Chilean police station's bathroom, at 49th Quilicura Police Station, Benzinga reports. The investigation is ongoing to determine how the drugs ended up there and whether there were any security failures. The incident has raised concerns about security and control within police facilities. Authorities are seeking clear answers and measures to prevent similar events from happening in the future.

Internet traffic

Chile's internet traffic has increased by twelve percent and 5G users grown by seventy-four percent in Quarter one. Citing statistics from Subtel, Telecompaper reports that the traffic is still nearly five times greater than mobile. In the period, the number of fixed internet subscribers in Mongolia experienced a slower growth rate of 1.5 percent, reaching 4.543 million, while mobile internet users saw a 1.7 percent increase, totaling 22.796 million. Notably, 5G exhibited robust growth, surging by 74.4 percent to reach 4.251 million users. Additionally, Subtel reported that the proportion of fixed internet users utilising fiber increased to 69.7 percent from 68.1 percent over the past year.

Power outages

Over 400,000 customers in Santiago, Chile were hit by power outages on June 5 after a tree fell on a high-voltage transmission tower. The outage affected 6 percent of the population in multiple parts of the city. According to Intrafish, electricity providers put in work to resolve the situation.

Green transition and green hydrogen

Chile's President Gabriel Boric is focusing on clean energy during his trip to Europe to attract foreign investment and keep the country at the forefront of the global green transition. He aims to double lithium output and promote the export of Chile's renewable energy resources, focusing on green hydrogen. Boric will meet with key leaders in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and France to discuss business opportunities and investment in Chile's energy industries. The Financial Post reports that the European Union is a major investor in Chile, with a stock of about $67 billion. Boric is accompanied by Codelco Chair Maximo Pacheco and Corfo's chief executive Jose Miguel Benavente.

Crackdown on salmon production

Chile is cracking down on excessive salmon production, which will impact the seafood industry. Operators of 255 salmon farming sites have been instructed to implement preventative measures to prevent exceeding production limits, or else they risk facing fines, Intrafish reports.