ACI Prensa Staff, May 1, 2023 / 15:00 pm
The bishops of the dioceses of Tacna, Peru, and Arica, Chile, have called on the authorities of both countries to seek a solution through dialogue to the migration crisis that is currently taking place at the border.
For the last two weeks, hundreds of migrants — mostly Venezuelans but also Colombians and Haitians — have been trying to leave Chile and enter Peru because Chile has toughened its immigration policies. The foreigners state that their ultimate goal is to return to their countries of origin.
However, according to the minister of the interior of Peru, Vicente Romero, only those who present their immigration card, visa, and passport are being accepted. The rest have remained on the border between the two countries, enduring the inclement weather of the desert, with some of them engaging in confrontations with the police.
Given the situation, the Peruvian government declared a state of emergency last week at most of its border crossings in order for the armed forces to support the police. For its part, the Chilean government ordered the militarization of its northern border in February to prevent more migrants from illegally entering the country.