The Chamber of Deputies and Deputies approved -with 128 votes in favor, four against and five abstentions- the second extension -under the government of President Gabriel Boric– to the State of Exception in the provinces of Arica, Parinacota (not counting the urban area of the city of Arica), Tamarugal and El Loa (excluding the urban area of Calama).
The request sent by the Executive and supported by the Chamber, contemplates extending the State of Exception by 15 more days. In the afternoon it will be voted on by the Senate.
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Let us remember that because of the migration crisis in the north, former President Sebastian Pinera decreed on February 15 the State of Exception in the four indicated provinces. Through the same mechanism, it was extended for another 15 days, on February 24. Subsequently, the Executive requested the approval of the National Congress for a new extension, which is valid until March 31.
Last extension in the north
Present at the vote was the Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve. In the instance, he pointed out that this will be the last extension of the State of Exception in the north that the government will request.
“The first commitment that I want to make before you on behalf of the government is that this is the last request for an extension of the State of Exception in the northern zone of Chile,” said the authority.
“Any transition plan must be discussed, the local communities must be heard, the authorities that have been democratically elected to represent the citizens of the north must be heard, and the government wants to carry out that dialogue,” added Monsalve.
In addition, he stated that the government is preparing a plan for the area and that it will travel next week to the north to agree with the communities on the actions to follow.
The plan includes the following measures:
- Carrying out a development program for the area, with the activation of investment initiatives.
- A program for the recovery of public spaces, today lost due to migration.
- Adoption of policies on migration. He refuted that the withdrawal of Decree 33 affects the powers of the State to apply the Immigration Control Law.
- I work with the PDI to provide it with the capacity to identify migrants who have entered the country through unauthorized steps. In particular, know who has a criminal record.
- Modifications of decree 265, which allows the collaboration of the Armed Forces in border control and in the fight against organized crime.
