By Marco Aquino
LIMA (Reuters) -Peru will declare a state of emergency along its border with Chile, President José Jerí said on Friday, as migrants seek to cross into the country following a Chilean presidential frontrunner’s vow to expel undocumented migrants.
The state of emergency “will generate tranquility before the risk of migrants entering without authorization,” said Jerí on X.
At least 100 foreigners, mostly Venezuelans, are at the border seeking to cross into Peru, Peruvian police General Arturo Valverde told local television station Canal N on Friday. He said surveillance at the border has increased in anticipation of the declaration.
On November 20, far-right Chilean presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, the favorite to win the runoff election next month against leftist Jeannette Jara, warned that illegal migrants must leave in the coming months or they will be detained and expelled when he comes to power.
“If you don’t leave voluntarily, we will detain you, retain you, expel you, and you’ll leave with what you have on,” he said in a video message at the border.
(Report by Marco Aquino, additional report by Fabián Cambero from Santiago. Writing by Leila Miller. Editing by Rod Nickel)
