The Chilean government on Thursday (21.2.2019) expelled 114 foreigners who committed crimes or were in an irregular situation in its territory, according to official sources.
The figure includes 32 Colombians, 68 Bolivians and 14 Peruvians, bringing the total number of immigrants who have been expelled so far in 302 to 2019. said Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick, who witnessed the departure of the Colombians from an Air Force base in Santiago.
The Colombians were taken to Bogotá on a Chilean Air Force (FACH) transport plane and, according to the minister, 16 of them had to leave the country after having committed crimes - 10 of them related to drug trafficking - and 6 for robbery with violence.
The other 16 were expelled by an administrative decision of the Government, because they were in an irregular situation in Chile, the minister said.
"They are people that we do not want to enter the country, we want people to enter who come to contribute and improve their family conditions.“Chadwick said.
"They are those who did not want to take advantage of an opportunity given to them by the State of Chile (to regularize their stay), who are not complying with the law (on immigration) or who are committing criminal acts," he said.
As for the Bolivians, the minister said that "practically all" had committed drug offences and that they had been ordered to leave Chile by land across the border.
“We are carrying out a major operation, as we are committed to putting our house in order”, insisted the Minister of the Interior.
In 2018, more than 2.500 foreigners left Chile as part of the implementation of a migration regulation plan by the government of President Sebastián Piñera, which aimed to “put the house in order” in this area.
Of all those who returned to their countries, 2.049 were deported due to crimes or who had legal proceedings in their countries of origin and were detected.
More than 500 Haitians also returned to their country after opting to accept the so-called “Orderly Humanitarian Return Plan,” which includes the costs of the trip and a ban on returning to Chile for nine years.
Source: Reuters
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