The border restriction was carefully analyzed by the communal chief, who was interviewed by Third. It should be noted that Colchane is inhabited by only 1,600 inhabitants and more than a year ago it has seen a drastic change in its routine, where many neighbors have abandoned their homes due to the constant robberies and looting that have occurred, according to the mayor.
In conversation with the aforementioned media, García replies that the redirection in his area “has been a rather improvised measure by the government, that was evident”, since last Sunday, “in total, 43 people who wanted to enter to the country,” when “the problem is that we receive, on average, 600 immigrants daily, who remain wandering here or in neighboring towns waiting for someone to bring them down to Iquique or Arica, affecting the lives of the inhabitants, saturating services “.
However, it also considers that it is an effective measure along the lines of “having the technology and personnel that guard and are in charge of preventing people from crossing”, so it is necessary for this to exist to exercise greater control.
“What is missing here are immigration authorities, the police, who can carry out a real control of people who want to enter the country. All those who enter through the border, through unauthorized steps and customs, end up in our community. waiting to move to another place, then a greater control of these people can be done here” opined the mayor.
The problem, Garcia pointed out, is that the border closure prevents the transit of people who have their documentation up to date, who come and go from Bolivia. “Today, for example, we have dozens of children who couldn’t go to study at their school in Pisiga.”
In turn, he assured that the idea of digging more ditches “doesn’t seem bad to me either; today there are, but they must be more reinforced to prevent them from entering anywhere.”
Regarding what they have been most affected as a commune, it is that in the matter of services: “We are operating in a very precarious way. The Cesfam of the commune has the capacity to serve nine people daily, but today we have to serve more of 40. Many municipal officials have resigned, due to the insecurity that they live in the commune: they have been assaulted or their houses have been looted, that is why many have left here,” explained the mayor of Colchane.
This is why the community chief announced that they have suffered “abandonment by the authorities, who despite the constant requests for meetings and notices of what is happening in the community and on the borders, have not wanted to listen to us or meet with us”, pointing out that the government is dedicated to desk politics, a merely communicational policy, “but they do not know on the ground the things that are happening”, he maintained.
And before the future government, he feels that perhaps he has not been invited to talk because of his political color, but he recognizes that “all the actors must talk to reach a solution to this problem.”
Lastly, consulted regarding the functioning of the shelters, García said that “they are not designed for height, so there have been many problems due to climate or cold situations.” In addition, he reported that last week there was an intoxication due to people drinking non-potable water, “which further complicated the situation.”
