On June 24, 2021, the east wing of the Champlain South Tower in Surfside, Miami, collapsed, resulting in the tragic loss of 98 lives and very few survivors. This devastating event not only shocked the United States but also resonated across the globe. Among those affected was Juan Manuel Robles, a Peruvian writer who recently published a chronicle titled Tragedy on Collins Avenue: The Disaster That Shook Miami. In this work, he aims to give a voice to the victims of the collapse.
The exact cause of the building’s failure remains unclear, but Robles highlights critical insights from an engineering report by Morabito Consultants. This report, released prior to the collapse, revealed significant structural anomalies in the building that, if left unaddressed, could lead to dire consequences. Despite the warning, little action was taken, and unfortunately, a portion of the building fell, resulting in the tragic loss of life.
Robles does not delve deeply into the reasons behind the disaster in his book, as he believes that authorities are responsible for clarifying the circumstances. Instead, he focuses on the personal stories of individuals affected by the collapse, many of whom were Latin American immigrants drawn to the American Dream but ultimately lost everything. Miami, portrayed as a character in its own right, is depicted as a shadowy city with a history intertwined with drug trafficking and corruption.
As the author of Lima Freak: Unusual Lives in a Disturbed City and We Are Not Ghostbusters, and with his work featured in publications like Vice, Etiqueta Negra, Letras Libres, and Gatopardo, Robles expressed to Infobae Mexico the significance of this tragic accident in shaping his writing.
To capture the essence of those who perished that fateful night, Robles spoke with the families of the victims and even some survivors. Many residents of the tower had connections to Latin American politics, including individuals related to various presidents. For instance, the book shares the story of Claudio Bonnefoy, who worked with Salvador Allende and was a second cousin to Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s former president. Among the victims were also those connected to Carlos Menem from Argentina and Álvaro Uribe from Colombia. Regarding these intertwining narratives, Robles shared, "The conversations opened up connections I hadn’t anticipated. I aimed to tell their life stories before the tragedy, to truly understand who they were. As I gathered their stories, the historical threads linking them to Latin America and even to the U.S. began to emerge."
Many victims drawn to Miami’s paradise-like allure were seeking a fresh start, reflecting the hope associated with leaving behind challenges in their home countries. Robles recalled the popular notion that buildings just didn’t collapse in the U.S.—such tragedies were thought to be the plight of less developed countries. He commented, “Miami is closely tied to migration and the American Dream, full of ideals of prosperity. It’s common for people to say, ‘we’re heading to Miami’ in response to a perceived socialist threat back home.”
Robles acknowledges the complexity of Miami as a character in Tragedy on Collins Avenue. He explained that Miami has a storied past marked by narcotrafficking that informed its current societal landscape. He stated, "Miami was the first capital of drug trafficking, and many issues we now see in cities like Medellín and Mexico City began there. The police were first confronted with organized crime in a way that traditional methods couldn’t combat."
What stands out to Robles is how familiar issues faced daily in Latin America—building collapses due to corruption, legal loopholes exploited for profit, and rampant bribery—are also prevalent in Miami, despite a commonly held belief that such practices do not occur in the United States. "In real time, it reflects a situation very typical of Latin America. It’s where economic power is sometimes used to bypass laws, pressure authorities, or evade regulations."
He reminisced about Bonnefoy’s insights into Miami’s darker side, capturing a perspective often overlooked: "He felt uneasy about it, citing his experience as a Latin American who knows the territory well. It was interesting to see how the city connects us to familiar themes."
As Robles depicts in his book, the Champlain Towers stand not just as remnants of a collapsed structure but as symbols of larger narratives intertwined with hope, dreams, and the haunting shadows of history.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2024/07/24/tragedia-en-collins-avenue-el-libro-de-juan-manuel-robles-sobre-las-victimas-del-derrumbe-del-edificio-en-surfside-miami/
