Kast announces "humanitarian corridor" to deport irregular immigrants in Chile

The elected president of Chile, José Antonio Kast, announced this Tuesday the proposal to create a "humanitarian corridor" to facilitate the deportation of migrants in irregular situations back to their countries of origin.

The statement was made during a press conference in Buenos Aires, after meeting with the Argentine president Javier Milei, as part of his first regional tour since his electoral victory in November, reported the news agency EFE.

"We have suggested to various sitting presidents that we need to coordinate to open a humanitarian corridor for the return of these people to their respective countries," Kast said.

The Chilean politician, from an ultra-conservative background, stated that migration has "seriously affected" the social and economic situation of Chile, a country that, he said, has "become attractive to people fleeing nations that have destroyed their economies."

De acuerdo con las cifras que manejó Kast, de los two million migrants que viven actualmente en Chile, At least 300,000 would be in an irregular situation.

Kast's proposal continues his campaign discourse focused on security and border control, and it has elicited mixed reactions.

While some business and conservative sectors support his idea, human rights organizations describe it as "criminalization of migration".

Chile has experienced a significant increase in the arrival of migrants in recent years, primarily from Venezuela, Haiti, and Bolivia.

Most of them are seeking to escape the economic and political crisis in their home countries.

Since 2021, the country has tightened its immigration policies, including the implementation of collective expulsions and stricter requirements for obtaining legal residency.

During his meeting with Milei, Kast noted that his government will seek to "strengthen regional cooperation" on migration and security issues, a priority he stated he shares with the Argentine president.

The proposal from the new Chilean president adds to a growing trend in Latin America of tightening immigration policies amid humanitarian and economic crises that push millions of people to migrate.

This trend has also been influenced by what some call the Trump effect, which has launched a crackdown on immigrants in the United States.

Countries like Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina have also faced an increase in Venezuelan and Haitian migrants in recent years.

Meanwhile, the UN and humanitarian organizations have warned that the establishment of "deportation corridors" could violate basic international rights if voluntary return processes and safe conditions in the destination countries are not ensured.