They autographed soccer jerseys, received medals and posed with the Phoenix 2 rescue capsule like celebrities. They even battled the government in a friendly soccer match.
The victory tour for “los 33,” the 33 miners trapped deep underground for 69 days, continued on Monday with a visit to the Chilean capital of Santiago, where they were greeted by cheering crowds and toasted by government officials.
Since rescuers lifted the miners to safety nearly two weeks ago, people from all over the world have showered them with gifts and whisked them off to Spain and elsewhere for interviews, most of them paid.
Monday was a chance for the government of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, who executed the rescue plan, to celebrate with the miners and commemorate their survival story, which brought hard-won respect to the nation.
The miners met privately with Pinera in the presidential palace and later participated in a ceremony with nearly 500 guests, including church, military and political leaders. Enormous photos of the rescue adorned the patio of the palace.
In a solemn ceremony, Pinera, his wife and three government ministers took turns greeting the miners, who stood side by side in the same order as they had been rescued from the mine. Pinera bestowed them with a medal, a miniature replica of the Phoenix 2 capsule and a small Chilean flag on a pedestal. Carlos Mamani, the only immigrant of the 33, received a Bolivian flag.
“We send everyone our affection, we are grateful to all of you, to our president, our ministers, to all of Chile,” said Luis Urzua, the shift leader and last of the miners to be lifted to the surface. “This was something we never imagined.”
Pinera thanked everyone involved in the rescue effort as well as the miners and their families, “who provided an example of commitment and love.”
The president said that as a result of the accident that trapped the miners, he would propose in the next few days to strengthen Chile’s labor safety regulations.
The ceremony ended with a young woman interpreting a song that spoke of the miners’ bravery and resistance. Some were teary-eyed.
After they stepped out of the presidential palace, some of them donning the same wraparound sunglasses they wore coming out of the mine, the miners were cheered by hundreds of people who waited behind police barriers. Jimmy Sanchez, at 19 the youngest miner, autographed a soccer team jersey someone in the crowd passed to him.
The miners took pictures of themselves next to the rescue capsule, which the government installed in front of the presidential palace last week.
Some alluded to pending lawsuits against the San Esteban Mining Co, which owns the San Jose Mine.
“Many people suffered, not only us,” said one of the miners, Franklin Lobos. “We saw our families cry, I saw my wife cry, and all of Chile cry. This cannot go unpunished.”
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