Following on the heels of Haiti's devastating earthquake, Chile experienced one of the largest earthquakes in modern history when an 8.8 temblor struck at 3:34 am local time (Chillan, Chile). The #1 largest earthquake hit in the same region on May 22, 1960. Chile's national horoscope (February 12, 1818*; Santiago, Chile) helps get some perspective on these events.
 
We don't have an accurate birth time for Chile's horoscope, so noon is the default setting. However, Jupiter at 4º Capricorn is likely angular or the chart's ruling planet. In any case, the natal dynamics in this horoscope establish a pattern of extreme volatility in the nation's evolution. Most significantly, Mars, the natural ruler of the military, opposes Uranus and Neptune, which in turn square Pluto.
 
Historically, Chile's main events feature the tense activation of Jupiter. For example, the military coup that empowered Augusto Pinochet on September 11, 1973 took place as transiting Saturn and Pluto were squaring each other while aligned with Chile's Jupiter. Pinochet's military dictatorship began as Chile's progressed Mars was trine Jupiter. Over the next few years, as progressed Mars opposed Saturn, the brutal nature of his regime became evident.
 
Similarly, the earthquake that hit last Saturday also involved a Saturn-Pluto square aligned with Chile's Jupiter. In addition, the transiting Ceres-Uranus square was perfectly aligned with Chile's Neptune-Pluto square. The 1960 quake hit when transiting Jupiter was conjunct natal Jupiter, and transiting Pluto was trine natal Jupiter. Although Chile's many Aquarius placements lend it to developing a more classless society than its Spanish roots would suggest, the tense natal dynamics still bring periodic devastating disruptions.

* Chile's birth data is from Nicholas Campion's The Book of World Horoscopes.