The Chilean miners’ pact may be put through its first test since it was made with the 33 miners from the miracle rescue. While underground, the miners all decided that any money made from telling their story would be shared, according to Comcast News.
The pact was most likely put in place so none of the miners would be left out when it came to making money from this horrific story. The miners hired an accountant and all the money made from appearances regarding their story would go right to him, and he would divide it equally among the 33 men.
This was a great insurance policy for the miners, and most likely it was made to not only protect them, but their families as well if anything should happen to them. Remember, the pact was made before they were plucked from the bowels of the earth, unsure if they would survive.
In Yonni Barrios’ case, the man known in the media as “the cheating miner,” he is getting a lucrative offer to appear as a spokesperson for the Ashley Madison Agency, a company that provides dates for those looking to have extramarital affairs, according to the New York Daily News.
Due to the publicity that Barrios has received from having a wife and two mistresses, the company thought he would be an excellent representative for their service. Who better to promote cheating than the “cheating miner?” Barrios has neither accepted nor declined this deal as of yet.
The company has offered Barrios $100,000 for this promotional gig . If he accepts this position, does it fall within the guidelines of this pact the miners made?
There are two sides to this debate which has not come up as of yet, but with a pact between 33 men who are all individuals with different personalities, it is bound to at one time or another.
One side of the argument would be that the cheating miner is not sharing any of his story for this spokesperson position. This promotion position is strictly about cheating, which has nothing to do with being caught underground with the miners. It may just be this money should be for Barrios and not for sharing.
The other side of the debate would be that Barrios would have never been offered this high-paying spot if he wasn’t trapped underground with the other 32 miners, making this offer part of the fame they all achieved together. This would make the $100,000 pay-out part of the miners’ pact money, and it should go to the accountant to be split among the 33.
It is just too soon to say that this pact will hold together or not, but it is incidents such as this where Barrios is offered a payday outside of telling his story that will put to test the legalities of this pact. Another test will be with the strong bond the 33 miners share. How strong will this bond be as time goes on? Again, this is not an issue with Barrios; it is just that an offer like this could become an issue with the 33 miners’ pact.
Reference: Comcast News, New York Daily News