Chile and Peru face a diplomatic crisis

The Undersecretary of the Chilean Foreign Ministry, Gloria de la Fuente, has summoned the Peruvian ambassador to her country this Thursday to express her dissatisfaction with some controversial statements made by a Peruvian mayor in the context of the migratory crisis that both countries are going through.

The mayor of the Peruvian city of Tacna, on the border with Chile, spoke in an interview about the wave of migrants trying to cross into Peru through its southern border, claiming that “we cannot allow that an unmentionable and irresponsible person like your president (Chilean Gabriel Boric) is transferring the problems to the border.”

Following the statement, Chile sent a communiqué explaining that it had summoned the Peruvian ambassador.

“The Undersecretary, along with expressing the discomfort for the unfortunate statements of the mayor, highlighted the permanent disposition of the Government of Chile to work together to seek a solution to the migratory crisis that currently affects, mainly, the cities of Arica and Tacna (Chilean and Peruvian cities respectively), reiterating the willingness to continue working, in a framework of respect, for the strengthening of permanent ties of friendship and cooperation between both brotherly peoples.”

Shortly after, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry informed that it summoned the Chilean ambassador to “express its protest for the lack of collaboration shown by the Chilean police authorities” at the border in the last few days.

In a statement, Peru has assured that they have held regular meetings in the last week to try to find a joint solution to the migratory crisis at their borders, but that it considers that Chile is not fulfilling its share of responsibility in stopping people trying to cross the border to the north.

On Wednesday, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte announced the militarization of the borders and the declaration of a state of emergency in some of its departments, including Tacna, to deal with the large number of migrants trying to cross into her country in recent weeks.

With information from LGI