President Kast inspects early construction of a border trench, fulfilling a key campaign promise amid rising immigration concerns.
Chile's newly elected President José Antonio Kast visited a construction site near the northern border with Peru on Monday, marking the start of a barrier project just five days after his inauguration. The barrier aims to address illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and organized crime, as Kast stated during his visit.
Workers have begun digging a small trench in the Atacama desert, a few feet wide and deep, as the initial phase of the "border shield" initiative. This project was a central promise in Kast's campaign, which he won with 58% of the vote in December.
Barrier Details and Scope
The planned barrier will include trenches, fences, and surveillance systems, patrolled by military personnel. It will cover approximately half of Chile's 180km border with Peru and parts of the 900km border with Bolivia, according to government statements.
Chile's foreign population has grown significantly, from less than 600,000 in 2015 to over 1.5 million in 2024, based on World Bank data. The government estimates that about 336,000 of these are undocumented migrants, many from Venezuela.
Kast described the project as a "milestone" for Chile, emphasizing the need to restore sovereignty amid rising concerns about crime and immigration. He has positioned himself as a leader focused on order, drawing comparisons to policies of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Similar to Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall, Kast's barrier includes elements like physical obstacles and monitoring. Kast, an admirer of Trump, has adopted rhetoric on immigration, with supporters wearing "Make Chile Great Again" caps.
Kast's election represents a sharp rightward shift for Chile, succeeding left-wing President Gabriel Boric. As the first far-right leader since the end of the military dictatorship in 1990, Kast has praised former dictator Augusto Pinochet while pledging spending cuts and security reforms.
