Peru to declare a state of emergency as migrants leaving Chile trigger backlash
President José Jerí of Peru announced on Friday that his government would implement a state of emergency along the southern border due to an influx of Venezuelan migrants moving north from Chile. The surge in migration comes as anti-immigrant sentiment rises in Chile during a tense presidential campaign.
For years, hundreds of thousands of migrants have crossed the continent and the Peruvian border to seek better opportunities in Chile, a stable and prosperous nation in Latin America. However, with Chile tightening its immigration policies, many migrants without legal status, particularly Venezuelans fleeing economic hardship and authoritarian rule, are now heading in the opposite direction.
José Antonio Kast, an ultraconservative lawyer and the frontrunner in Chile’s upcoming presidential runoff, has capitalized on fears surrounding immigration from Venezuela and organized crime. He recently filmed a campaign video at the Chile-Peru border, warning undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily within 111 days or face detention and expulsion.
The media in Peru quickly picked up on the story, showcasing images of migrant families rushing into Peru from Chile with their belongings in tow. In response, President Jerí visited the border area to assess the situation and deployed additional armed forces to enhance security measures.
Reports from northern Chile indicate growing chaos as stranded migrants who left Chile but couldn’t enter Peru legally are stuck in limbo. President Jerí convened his Cabinet to declare a state of emergency in the region to address the escalating crisis.
As the situation unfolds, the exact number of migrants leaving Chile remains unclear amid Kast’s threats of mass deportations and heightened xenophobia in the country. Kast reiterated his warning in a new video, prompting Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela to assert that a presidential candidate cannot speak on behalf of the Chilean government.
Chilean Minister of Security Luis Cordero acknowledged the impact of Kast’s rhetoric on the outflow of migrants, emphasizing the need to prevent a humanitarian crisis and cautioning against exploiting people for political gain.
The article was reported by Pereda Zavaleta from Lima, Peru.
