Chile’s newly inaugurated president, José Antonio Kast, has taken his first major step on immigration, launching plans for a fortified barrier along the country’s northern border just days after entering office.
Standing near the frontier crossing at Chacalluta, Kast announced the start of his “Border Shield” initiative – a project designed to halt illegal crossings and clamp down on organised crime. The area has become a key route for migrants entering from Peru into one of South America’s most stable economies.
Work on the barrier remains in its early stages. Initial activity on Monday was limited to basic groundwork in the desert, with machinery beginning to carve trenches. However, officials say the full plan will combine physical obstacles, such as ditches and fencing, with aerial surveillance and military patrols.
Kast framed the move as a decisive shift in national policy, pledging rapid implementation. His administration has already invoked emergency powers to introduce a series of measures aimed at tightening border enforcement and accelerating the deportation of undocumented migrants.
Immigration has surged in Chile in recent years, with the foreign-born population rising sharply. Authorities estimate that hundreds of thousands of people are currently living in the country without legal status, many having fled economic hardship and political turmoil in Venezuela.
Alongside humanitarian arrivals, officials point to the presence of foreign criminal networks as a growing concern. While overall violence remains relatively low by regional standards, a rise in high-profile crimes - including kidnappings and contract killings - has unsettled the public and intensified political pressure for stricter controls.
Kast’s rapid push on border security underscores a broader rightward shift in Chilean politics, marking the country’s most conservative turn since the end of military rule in 1990, following the era of Augusto Pinochet.
The government insists the new measures are necessary to restore order and protect national security. Critics, however, argue that an aggressive enforcement strategy risks marginalising vulnerable migrants and could deepen divisions within Chilean society.
U.S. President Donald Trump says it was "too expensive" for Witkoff and Kushner to go to Islamabad as Iran says they are waiting to ...
Supporters of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won most municipal races, election officials said on Sunday....
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' As...
According to U.S. media, Cole Tomas Allen, aged 31, carried guns and knives while he attempted to storm the White House Correspondents...
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 2...
U.S. President Donald Trump says it was "too expensive" for Witkoff and Kushner to go to Islamabad as Iran says they are waiting to see if America is "truly serious about diplomacy". Israel's armed forces has launched a missle attack into Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets into north Israel.
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner by Secret Service agents after a 31 year old suspect attempted to storm event.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner by Secret Service agents after a 31 year old suspect attempted to storm event.
The United States has issued an international warning accusing Chinese firms, including AI start-up DeepSeek, of allegedly stealing intellectual property from American artificial intelligence labs.
According to U.S. media, Cole Tomas Allen, aged 31, carried guns and knives while he attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Dinner in the Hilton Washington hotel on Saturday, 25 April 2026.
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner by Secret Service agents after a 31 year old suspect attempted to storm event.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment