The president of Chile, José Antonio Kast, ordered the construction of physical barriers on the country’s border with Bolivia as part of a package of measures to contain irregular immigration. The decision was announced this Wednesday (11), during the signing of the new government’s first decrees.
The signing took place shortly after Kast’s inauguration, held in a ceremony at the headquarters of the Chilean Senate, in Valparaíso.
The initiative is part of the so-called Border Shield Plan, which provides for coordinated actions between the Ministries of Defense and Interior to reinforce control in the northern region of the country. Among the planned measures are the installation of physical barriers at points considered critical along the border, in addition to changes in legislation and rules on the use of force to combat the clandestine entry of foreigners.
During the announcement, Kast asked for support from the Armed Forces to expand the State’s presence in the region and reinforce surveillance on the border. The plan also foresees an increase in the military contingent, the use of drones and monitoring sensors, as well as improvements in the communication systems used by security forces.
According to the Chilean government, the objective is to discourage irregular immigration, an issue that was at the center of Kast’s electoral campaign and which has been presented by the president as one of the priorities of his administration.
The border between Chile and Bolivia is around 860 kilometers long and crosses difficult-to-access areas in the Andean highlands, often used by migrants, especially Venezuelans, to enter Chilean territory irregularly.
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