In March, the Chilean government expelled 65 Venezuelans from the country, sending them back on a chartered flight. Among these individuals, 55 had committed crimes while the remaining were expelled for entering the country without a regular passport. According to Luis Eduardo Thayer, director of Chile’s National Immigration Service, this action is a reflection of the government’s determination to address such issues.
This year alone, Chile has expelled 411 immigrants from various countries. Of these, 208 were expelled administratively for infringing immigration rules and 203 were expelled for legal reasons. In April, the Chilean Public Ministry revealed that the murder of former Venezuelan lieutenant Ronald Ojeda Moreno, which occurred in Chile in March, was planned in Venezuela. Investigations indicated the involvement of the criminal group Trem de Arágua, operating under the protection of dictator Nicolás Maduro.