Tarapacá migrant crisis

In 2021, Tarapacá Region in northern Chile saw an unprecedented movement of foreign migrants into its territory. The Altiplano town of Colchane along the border with Bolivia has been the irregular point of entry of an estimate of 18,000 Venezuelan migrants and about 3,000 Bolivian migrants up to September.[1]

Primarily affected localities by the 2021 migrant crisis.

The border crossed by most migrants is arid, cold and lies at 3,600 meters above sea level.[2] This route is chosen since the more direct, and less harsh route across the Chile–Peru border is better guarded.[3] Migrants are aided in the crossing by human smugglers.[3] By February 2021 the cost for a family to be crossed into Chile was between 200 and US$500.[3] Migrants have been accused by the alcalde of Colchane and local residents of acting violently by forcing themselves into inhabited houses of Colchane, engaging in theft and occupying public spaces.[3][4] Reportedly by February 2021 1,600 migrants had arrived to the commune of Colchane in a brief time.[4] Of these migrants, 400 Venezuelans were sent to Iquique to comply with mandatory COVID-19 quarantine.[4]

According to data provided by the Jesuit Migrant Service by July 2021 the number of immigrants entering Chile through clandestine border crossings had exceeded those that did so in 2020 by 7,000, reaching a total of 23,673 people in 2021 up to July.[5] As of September there are testimonies of the Chilean military guarding the frontier still being widely unable to control the influx of migrants.[2] An estimate put the number of Venezuelans the crossed into Chile through Colchane in 2021 at 50,0000.[6]

Chilean police moved on September 24 to oust migrants, including families, that had occupied Iquique's Plaza Brasil.[7] With regards to the ousting of migrants from Plaza Brasil the national government representative for Tarapacá Region commented that it was an issue of the location having become a focii of "crime such as robbery, prostitution, small-scale drug traffic" with delinquents hiding among the people occupying the square.[8]

On September 25 residents of Iquique organised a protest against the immigrants.[5] During the protests an incident occurred in which a group of protesters sat the belongings of migrants afire.[9] Chilean Public Ministry ordered an investigation to identify and prosecute the responsibles for the arson.[5] Days after the events the ambvassador of Venezuela to Chile Arévalo Méndez travelled to Iquique to offer migrants free flight tickets to Venezuela as part of the Back to homeland plan. Venezuelan migrants largely rejected the offer.[10]

The Governor of Tarapacá José Miguel Carvajal accused President Sebastián Piñera of having abandoned his duties with regards to the migrant crisis.[9] The Government of Chile pushed back the allegations claiming the number of migrants entering Chile in 2021 was as of September "about 25 thousand", only 10% of the number registered for 2017, the year prior to Piñera assuming office.[11]

Trafficking of women

Amidst the migrant crisis the Venezuelan criminal organisation Tren de Aragua engaged in trafficking of women across from the Bolivian border to Santiago.[6][12] By October 2021 there were reports Chilean authorities were conducting four different investigations related to the criminal organisation.[12] On March 24, 2022 Investigations Police of Chile (PDI) declared to have dismantled the Chilean branch of Tren de Aragua.[6] One of the Tren de Aragua members captured in March 2022 had Interpol arrest warrants for murders in Venezuela and Peru.[13] Six other migrant traffickers of Tren de Aragua were also captured in March 2022 by Chilean police.[13]

Background
Further information: Venezuelan refugee crisis and Immigration to Chile

Between 2015 and 2017, Venezuelan emigration to Chile increased by 1,388 percent.[14] In 2016, Venezuelans emigrated to Chile due to its stable economy and simple immigration policy. According to the Chilean Department for Foreigners and Migration, the number of Chilean visas for Venezuelans increased from 758 in 2011 to 8,381 in 2016; 90 percent were work visas for Venezuelans aged 20 to 35. Since international travel by air is difficult (especially due to the value of the Venezuelan bolívar), many Venezuelans must travel overland through dangerous terrain to reach Chile. After arriving, they must start a new life. According to Catholic Chilean Migration Institute executive secretary Delio Cubides, most Venezuelan immigrants "are accountants, engineers, teachers, the majority of them very well-educated" but accept low-paying jobs so they can meet visa requirements and remain in the country.[15][16]

See also

References
  1. González, Carolina; Jaime, Davied (2021-09-28). "Crisis migratoria en el norte: El perfil de los extranjeros que han ingresado a Chile este año". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  2. "Centenares de venezolanos cruzan de Bolivia a Chile pese a amenazas de deportación". France 24 (in Spanish). 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  3. Torres, Cristián (2021-02-03). "Una crisis humanitaria desborda a pequeños pueblos del norte de Chile por la masiva llegada de migrantes venezolanos". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  4. "Alcalde de Colchane por crisis migratoria: "Están ingresando personas con actitud reprochable, invadiendo casas y agrediendo personas"". Teletrece (in Spanish). Canal 13. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
  5. "Fiscalía chilena abre investigación por violenta protesta contra venezolanos en Iquique". France 24 (in Spanish). 2021-09-26. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  6. ""Tren de Aragua", peligrosa banda de Venezuela". swissinfo.ch (in Spanish). 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  7. "Desalojo de migrantes en Plaza Brasil de Iquique: Defensoría de la Niñez y SJM rechazan "violencia como respuesta a un problema humanitario" y Gobierno se defiende". El Mostrador (in Spanish). 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  8. González, Catalina (2021-09-27). "Delegado presidencial de Tarapacá y desalojo en Iquique: "Lo de la plaza Brasil no era migración, era delincuencia"". Emol. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  9. "Manifestantes en Iquique quemaron carpas y pertenencias de inmigrantes que se encontraban en avenida Aeropuerto". ADN Radio (in Spanish). 2021-09-25. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  10. González, Carolina (2021-09-29). "El impasse del embajador de Venezuela en Iquique: Ofreció un vuelo de retorno y le respondieron que no". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  11. González, Carolina (2021-09-29). "Gobierno responde a críticas por manejo de crisis migratoria y asegura que las cifras de ingreso son inferiores a las de 2017". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  12. "El Tren de Aragua ya opera en Chile: la peligrosa banda criminal venezolana está involucrada en el tráfico de miles de migrantes". Infobae (in Spanish). 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  13. Díaz Montero, Felipe (2022-03-24). "Secuestros con homicidios en Chile: cae brazo del "Tren de Aragua", banda más grande de Venezuela". Radio Bío-Bío (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  14. "'I can't go back': Venezuelans are fleeing their crisis-torn country en masse". Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  15. Woody, Christopher (December 2, 2016). "'The tipping point': More and more Venezuelans are uprooting their lives to escape their country's crises". Business Insider. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  16. Fernández, Airam (October 12, 2016). "Venezuelans flee to Chile in risky nine-day journey by road and river". Univision. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
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