Chile’s conservative president, José Antonio Casto, announced that deportation flights for illegal immigrants will commence on Thursday.
In his inaugural national broadcast on Wednesday night, Casto highlighted key priorities for his administration’s first month. He won a decisive victory in the December presidential runoff, primarily promising mass deportations of illegal immigrants and a crackdown on the rising violent crime rates in Chile.
During his address, President Casto remarked that his government “inherited a country with over 300,000 illegal aliens,” pointing out that some are involved in “organized criminal networks” responsible for unprecedented levels of violence in Chile. He noted that one of his first acts after assuming office was to enforce the Border Shield, aimed at curbing illegal immigration. This strategy includes closing the northern border, constructing a border wall, and digging trenches.
“The results are evident. In this first month, we’ve greatly reduced the number of illegal immigrants compared to the last five years, seen an uptick in voluntary departures, and more aliens are being deported,” Casto stated. “Starting tomorrow morning, the first of many planes and buses will depart to remove all illegal immigrants not allowed to stay in our country.”
According to reports, forty individuals (19 Colombians, 12 Bolivians, and nine Ecuadorians) are set for deportation on Thursday, with a Chilean Police Investigation officer assigned to each deportee. During the flight, deportees will be restrained with disposable plastic cuffs under careful supervision, while PDI personnel will be equipped for this operation. The aircraft will reportedly fly from Santiago to Iquique, then on to Bolivia, Ecuador, and finally Colombia that same day.
Data indicate that these deportees face a range of criminal charges, including illegal entry, receiving stolen vehicles, drug trafficking, robbery with violence or intimidation, criminal damage, illegal possession of weapons, and other offenses.
The Chilean government described this flight as unprecedented, with plans to increase the frequency of deportation flights in the upcoming weeks.
In late March, during his initial administration days, Casto halted a mass regularization program initiated by the prior leftist government, which would have provided legal status for around 182,000 undocumented immigrants. The head of Chile’s National Immigration Agency noted that among the beneficiaries, at least 6,000 had prior criminal records.
Casto further mentioned he would soon present legislation on “National Reconstruction and Economic and Social Development,” encompassing reforms designed to revitalize the economy, boost employment, simplify the permitting process, and assist areas impacted by recent fires.
Upon taking office, Casto identified three pressing crises in Chile: security, economic stagnation affecting job growth, and social issues in education, healthcare, and housing.
“We seek more jobs, enhanced economic and social progress, and greater security so that Chileans can restore hope,” Casto conveyed.
Discussing the economy, he pointed out that Chile’s growth averaged merely 2% per year over the last twelve years, and public debt has soared from $7.6 billion in 2006 to over $155 billion today. Meanwhile, 5% of the national budget is currently allocated to interest payments alone.
“We’re not assigning blame here,” Casto clarified. “We’re communicating this to help Chileans understand the need for swift government action.”
“We’re determined to break the cycle of the past, end recession and structural unemployment,” he elaborated. “We’re focused on ceasing governments that overspend and overcoming bureaucratic inertia that hinders investment. Our mission is to dismantle what’s wrong to rebuild what is right.”
