12 Venezuelan Migrants Heading To Chile Dead So Far This Year

So far this year, twelve Venezuelan migrants have died while trying to reach Chile through the Andes mountain range, Tarapaca Region Governor Jose Carvajal said on Monday.

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"President Sebastian Piñera is responsible for the migration crisis since his administration never cared for undocumented migrants or allowed local governments to coordinate humanitarian aid with NGOs for them," Carvajal denounced, recalling that he filed a protection appeal against Piñera for his inaction. 

The Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM) estimates that over 35,400 migrants have crossed the Chilean border clandestinely between 2018 and 2021. At least 1,826 undocumented migrants crossed the Colchane crossing, which borders Bolivia, in September.

Last week, Chilean police expelled 150 Venezuelan migrant families from Brazil Square in Iquique City, where they lived in makeshift tents as they waited for their immigration status to be regularized.

The next day, as they wandered in different public spaces in an attempt to relocate themselves again, about 5,000 Chilean citizens took part in an anti-immigrant demonstration and burned their belongings. "The situation of migrants in Chile is unsustainable," the United Nations warned, urging the Piñera administration to respect migrants.

These actions, however, are far from becoming true. On Wednesday, Interior Minister Rodrigo Delgado announced that the Police, Army, and Frontier brigades strengthen surveillance at the border with Bolivia, through which most migrants enter.

"The goal is to double the checkpoints in that area to prevent more undocumented people from entering the country," Delgado stressed and announced that Chile will carry on expulsions of undocumented migrants occupying public places without authorization.