Peru declares state of emergency at border areas to control migration

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Peru's government on Thursday officially declared a state of emergency on its borders and ordered the deployment of the military to reinforce controls after the arrival of hundreds of migrants, most of whom are coming from Chile.

The government of Dina Boluarte, which announced the measure, specified that it will last 60 days and will include restrictions on rights such as freedom of transit and assembly at border crossings with Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia.

Boluarte has blamed migration for the increase in crime in her country saying they are the ones who "unfortunately are committing" crimes.

"Those who commit daily assaults, robberies and other criminal acts are foreigners," she said.

On the southern border with Chile, dozens of migrants, mostly from Haiti, Colombia and Venezuela, clashed with National Police officers on Thursday. Hundreds of migrants are stranded on the border with Chile trying to enter the country.

Peru is home to 1.7 million foreigners, 1.5 million of whom are from Venezuela and entered the country with documentation to stay regularly. The government estimates that between 300,000 and 400,000 individuals from Venezuela have entered illegally through the border with Ecuador.

"These measures will allow us to regularize and identify foreigners who are in an irregular situation, as well as to encourage formality in migratory control and in the labor market," Boluarte said.

Peru has become the second destination for Venezuelan migrants after Colombia.

The Boluarte administration has said that the measure will be carried out within the framework of International Human Rights Law.​​​​​​​