Peru to Declare Emergency at Border Over Influx of Migrants

President José Jerí of Peru said his government on Friday would declare a state of emergency along the country's southern border and deploy more armed forces to the area as a large number of Venezuelan migrants venture north from Chile, where anti-immigrant sentiment has surged during a fraught presidential campaign. Hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing crises in their home countries or seeking better opportunities abroad long have traversed the continent and the Peruvian border to build new lives in Chile, one of Latin America's most stable and prosperous nations, the AP reports.

But scores of people without legal status in Chile—mostly Venezuelans who abandoned their country's economic ruin and authoritarian rule in recent years—are now also headed in the other direction as Chile prepares to harden its stance against immigration. The favorite to win Chile's presidential runoff on Dec. 14, ultraconservative lawyer José Antonio Kast, has built his campaign around popular fears over immigration from Venezuela and a rise in organized crime. He filmed a campaign video at Chile's porous desert border with Peru last week, warning immigrants without formal status to get out of the country while they can.

"You have 111 days to leave Chile voluntarily," Kast said in the ad, referring to the number of days until a new administration takes over from current left-wing President Gabriel Boric. "If not, we will stop you, we will detain you, we will expel you. You will leave with only the clothes on your back." Soon Peruvian media was awash with images of migrant families rushing north from Chile into Peru, their belongings stuffed in backpacks and garbage bags. Within days, Jerí traveled to the area to inspect border controls and sent armed forces to boost security. Residents in Chile's northern border towns reported growing chaos as crowds of people who left Chile but lacked permission to enter Peru were stranded in limbo. On Friday, Jerí convened his Cabinet to declare a state of emergency in the region.