© Reuters. Illegal immigrants from Venezuela who were in limbo at the border between Chile and Peru, stand at the airport as they board a special flight to return home to Venezuela from Arica Airport, Chile, May 7, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandre Infante
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SANTIAGO (Reuters) – 115 Venezuelan migrants stranded at the border with Peru were brought back to Venezuela on a humanitarian flight on Sunday, the Chilean government said.
Hundreds of migrants, most of them Venezuelans seeking to return home, are stranded at the country’s northern border after being denied entry into Peru. The incident sparked diplomatic tensions as Peru sent police and soldiers to the border to stop the migrants.
The Chilean foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday that the trip was the result of diplomatic efforts with the Venezuelan government and the “return home” plan.
“Diplomatic efforts will continue with the aim of establishing future flights from various parts of Chile,” the statement said, adding that it will also strengthen regional efforts to deal with the current migration crisis.
“Only through cooperation will we be able to confront the regional migration crisis in the medium and long term,” the statement said.