Chile’s new president, the right-wing politician José Antonio Kast, has ordered the construction of “physical barriers” along the border with Bolivia to curb illegal immigration.
In his inaugural address on Wednesday, March 11th, Kast called on army chief Pedro Varela to help implement the border measures and signed three decrees targeting migration, fulfilling a key campaign promise.
Official figures indicate that 337,000 illegal immigrants currently live in Chile.
Kast, 59, a father of nine, was elected in December 2025 with 58% of the vote, defeating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara. He ran on a platform focused on restoring public security, tightening border controls, and addressing near-record crime levels, which have risen following the Covid-19 pandemic, violent social unrest, and an influx of foreign organised crime groups.
