In letters to loved ones and asides to rescuers, the miners repeatedly described their 69-day ordeal as “hell”. But in their first days back in the real world, they are keeping silent about the grim details – and the fights within the group. Relatives say that the miners have agreed a “blood pact” not to talk about the worst times. They have also drafted in lawyers and accountants to help them handle the welter of financial offers for their stories from the media, book writers and film agents. As Mr Barrios said, “We are the only ones who know what really happened, and why.”