President Kast begins construction of barriers on Chile’s border with Peru and Bolivia

ARICA. (CHILI). The new president of Chile, Jose Antonio kastlaunched this Monday, March 16, the construction of barriers on the border with Peru, which he promised during his campaign, to stop entry from that country and Bolivia of irregular migrants.

The government gave a period of 90 days for the construction of these barriers, although it did not specify the type of infrastructure that will close the passage in three regions in the north of the country.

“Today we begin to stop irregular migration,” Kast told the press, in front of the excavating machine that was digging a deep trench near the Chacalluta border crossing, in the city of Arica, on the border with Peru. “Today we begin to stop irregular migration,” Kast told the press, in front of the excavating machine that was digging a deep trench near the Chacalluta border crossing, in the city of Arica, on the border with Peru.

The regions of Antofagasta and Tarapacá are also the subject of the same works plan, where Colchane is located, a border crossing with Bolivia that has become the main entry point for irregular migrants.

Characteristics of the “Border Shield Plan”

This plan consists of building physical barriers and opening ditches in the border areas with Peru and Bolivia to make it difficult for illegal people to enter. Construction began after the inauguration of Kast, this March 11, it has priority since it is an emergency decree.

On the other hand, the northern area where this triple border exists and where there has been a deployment of personnel working on the plan is reinforced. And it is stated that the increase in these barriers responds to the high number of foreigners who try to enter without documentation.

According to official data, in Chile, with 20 million inhabitants, there live about 337,000 irregular migrants, mostly Venezuelans.

According to the Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvarado, the “physical barriers” will have an approximate extension of about 500 km.

The “Border Shield”, which was promised several months ago, also includes the deployment of more military personnel in the area, and other means of technological supervision.

Kast, 60, said Monday that in recent years “Chile has been violated by illegal immigration, drug trafficking and organized crime.”

Irregular entries, however, have registered a “sustained decrease” from the peak recorded in 2021, according to the National Migration Service.

In 2025, a drop of 10.2% was recorded compared to the previous year, with a total of 26,275 reports of entry through non-enabled steps, according to the official figure.

The idea is to establish strict immigration control.