The Government announced the deployment of 672 members of the Armed Forces and 100 Carabineros to protect the border in the 4 provinces in the north of the country, where the State of Constitutional Exception came into force.
Mayors of the Antofagasta region met with the Undersecretary for Crime Prevention, María José Gómez, to address the migration crisis and They were critical of the Executive’s measures.
It is worth mentioning that President Sebastián Piñera announced this Wednesday the measures that will be taken in the four provinces in the north of the country: Arica, Parinacota, Tamarugal and the province of Loa.
Since yesterday that the State of Constitutional Exception is in force, which will last 15 days.
This aims to strengthen the areas with patrols, foot and motorized controls, establish observation posts, deploy unmanned aircraft, drones and have helicopters for surveillance.
The president maintained that the number of Carabineros officers has been increased to 100 and that 672 members of the Armed Forces will be deployed for border protection.
Mayors of Antofagasta meet with Undersecretary of Crime Prevention
Today the mayors of the different communes of the Antofagasta region traveled to Santiago to address the crisis in the north of the country and the latest acts of violence, a meeting in which they raised their concerns with the Undersecretary for Crime Prevention, María José Gómez, who valued the meeting.
After the meeting, the mayor of Antofagasta, Jonathan Velásquez, left the place annoyed and assured that all the authorities promise measures that are insufficient and not very concrete. “The people of the north are already bored”he specified.
The communal chief of Calama, Eliecer Chamorro, criticized that the State of Exception was implemented following various deaths in the affected areas and assured that they do not agree with its duration.
The mayors of Mejillones, Taltal, Sierra Gorda, San Pedro de Atacama and the mayor of Tocopilla were also present at the meeting. Although they said they felt heard, some were not satisfied with the authorities’ response.
The Government also assured that new expulsions are planned for the coming weeks; and also that the Prosecutor’s Office will be provided with more resources so that it can carry out the work of criminal prosecution.
The State of Exception may be extended by the President of the Republic and then, if it is intended to be extended once more, it must be through the National Congress.
