The Chilean government announced on Tuesday (26.12.2017) that it will double the number of customs and police personnel and infrastructure at border crossings, in response to a "wave" of foreigners expected to enter the country in January for the visit of Pope Francis, in the middle of summer.
Less than three weeks before the visit of the Supreme Pontiff to Chile, the authorities of the Chilean government and the Catholic Church are working against the clock to finalize details of the liturgical meetings that will be held in Santiago and in the cities of Temuco and Iquique between 15 and January 18.
The visit of the first Latin American pope coincides with a month in which thousands of people traditionally vacation in the nation. tourists from Argentina, the neighboring country where Francis was born and which the leader of the Catholic Church did not include in his tour.
"We are going to have an unprecedented flow of foreigners," Border Crossings chief Reginaldo Flores told reporters.
Deputy Interior Minister Mahmud Aleuy reported that in 51% will increase the areas of attention at border crossings most important, while officials of Customs They will almost double their staff to serve the tourists who will enter the country as part of the Pope's visit.
On January 16, Francis will lead a Eucharist in O'Higgins Park, in the middle of Santiago, for which the government ordered the deployment of thousands of police officers in charge of safeguarding the security of some 500.000 people who will attend the meeting in which the Pope will emphasize "peace and justice."
In the southern city of Temuco, an area marked by land conflicts between the Mapuche ethnic group and the State, the Supreme Pontiff will pray for the unity of indigenous peoples. Some 3.000 police officers will be in charge of security for the meeting to be held on January 17.
The next day, Francis will participate in a massive meeting near Iquique, a port located in the far north of the country, where the central theme will be migrants and the coronation of the image of the Virgin of Carmen.
The Pope will travel directly from Iquique to Lima on the evening of January 18 to continue his official tour of Peru.
Source: Reuters
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