The Chilean armed forces began protecting the country’s border area that Monday by government decree. The points on the border with Peru, in the region of Arica and Parinacota, are the first where military control has begun.
Chili thus tries to guard the borders with Peru and Bolivia, in one attempt to control the entry of migrants through unauthorized steps, the authorities reported.
The soldiers’ work will last 90 days and will rule the regions of Arica and Parinacota, Tarapacá and Antofagasta, according to a government decree, Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said.
Military units will be able to conduct identity checks and apprehend people entering or leaving through unauthorized border crossings and then hand them over to the local police.
The government decree law states that there has been an increase in migration flows in the country, which It has led to “the mass arrival of the population through unauthorized passages”.
dangerous step
The Andean town of Colchane, on the border with Bolivia, is the most common step for foreigners to enter Chile, where dozens of people have died in recent years. Those who manage to reach Chilean cities have set up tents or plazas or are adrift asking for help.
The mayor Javier García of the municipality of Colchane, one of the border points where the measure will be activated, denounced on local radio that about 400 people enter through unauthorized steps every day. Chile is registering an increase in immigrants from nearby countries, but especially from Venezuela.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/eluniverso/XQ7KMYSFOJEF3FVJSNNTKBLEQA.jpg)
This measure adds to other measures Chile has taken in recent years to control the migration flow from the north. A year ago, the government of then president Sebastián Piñera widened a 600-meter ditch near Colchane six years ago.
Criminal gangs dedicated to smuggling and drug trafficking built bridges to cross it, which were also used by undocumented migrantsmainly Venezuelans.
The deployment of soldiers to the border can continue, with the prior approval of Congress, once these first 90 days are over.
Source: Eluniverso
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
