Sometimes it is better to be in third place. Case in point, Dominicans are listed as the third most prevalent group of illegals residing in Chile. In first place, as is to be expected nowadays, are Venezuelans. Then Cubans, followed by Dominicans. Bolivians and Colombians fill out the top five places.
According to the reports from El Mercurio newspaper in Santiago, Chile, there are over 1,500 Venezuelans among the estimated 4,225 illegals registered by the Chilean authorities as of the first half of this year.
A little over a month ago, on 22 June, the Chilean authorities imposed new rules to enter the country. The requirement of a consular visa has complicated things for Dominicans, Cubans and Venezuelans.
The Jesuit Migration Service told reporters that the new restrictions are the cause of the increase in the number of illegals.
Newspaper reports have brought to the forefront the creation of new mafia-type organizations, similar to the “coyotes” along the Mexican-American border, which smuggle illegals into Chile.
Although recent numbers place the Dominicans in the number three slot of illegals for 2019, in the overall picture of immigrants in Chile, Dominicans are not in the top four as of 31 December 2018. Venezuela is first overall (288,000), followed by Peru (223, 923), Haiti (179,338) and Colombia (146,582).
Read more in Spanish:
El Nacional
Extranjería Chile
29 July 2019