He elected president of Chile, José Antonio Kastincluded Peru in its first tour of countries in the region and announced this January 2026 will arrive in Lima to meet with the President Jose Jeri In Government Palaceas reported by the Peruvian Foreign Ministry. The visit is part of an early agenda of bilateral contacts before Kast officially assumes the Chilean presidency March 11, 2026in a context that is characterized by sensitive issues for both countries, such as: Security, migration And Border cooperation.
The announcement of the State Department’s official social networks came a few days later Jose Jeri will contact Kast by phone I congratulate you on your victory in the second round of the presidency and wish you all the best for your next term of office.
According to a statement from the Press Secretariat of the Chilean Presidential Palace, both leaders agreed on the importance work together to combat crime and cross-border crimePhenomena that have gained importance on the regional agenda in recent months.
In the congratulatory phone call, José Jerí sent a message formal invitation The elected Chilean president is scheduled to attend one Binational Cabinet Peru-Chileplanned for second semester 2026so between March and Aprilas soon as Kast officially takes office.
The initiative is proposed in a context where both governments have prioritized the issue Cooperation on migration and border controlespecially after Kast announced more restrictive immigration policies. During the election campaign castannounced a policy of tough hand on irregular immigrationincluding the Expulsion of people without papers As he began his term, a proposal sparked widespread debate in Chile and attention in neighboring countries.
Since Lima, the official position is that the country does not have the capacity to absorb new flows of migrantswhile Santiago is evaluating measures to legalize and leave the country for people in an irregular situation. In this scenario, the future binational cabinet will become a key entity for organizing the bilateral agenda in the first months of the new Chilean government.
In this regard, at the beginning of December Peru and Chile they agreed Patrols Sentences And strengthen police cooperation at the common border to face it increasing migration flowa measure adopted a day after the Peruvian government issued the decree emergency and arranged the military use in adjacent areas, thereby strengthening controls and binational coordination.
One of the most delicate axes of the beginning of the next Chilean government will be the Immigration policya theme that was at the heart of the campaign José Antonio Kast and that has a direct impact on the relationship with Peru. According to the analysis of the political scientist Rocio Zepeda MajmudElectoral support for the Republican Party leader was more responsive to a temporary vote as ideological, driven by perceptions of insecurity and crisis, despite Chile having indicators such as a murder rate of 4.6 per 100,000 inhabitants and a stable level of investment.
In this context, Kast proposed measures heavy hand on the borderincluding the mass expulsion of irregular migrants and the installation of Transitional detention centers in adjacent areas. However, Zepeda warns that there is currently no technically viable plan to implement these promises due to legal, humanitarian and budgetary constraints. This strategy could too increase diplomatic tensionsparticularly with Peru, a country that is facing its own migratory pressures and has already responded to them Strengthening controls and increasing military presence at the border.
The expert points out that Santiago’s decisions could Condition of regional migration policyThis affects not only Lima, but the entire border area. Even scenarios like a temporary border closure – aligned with the programmatic line of the President-elect – would have immediate economic consequences in areas of constant exchange such as: Tacna and Arica.
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