Chilean President Kast Initiates Border Barrier Construction Early in Term

Wed Mar 18 2026 10:40:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In a bold move shortly after taking office, President José Antonio Kast begins construction of a border barrier in northern Chile, fulfilling a key campaign promise aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

Just five days into his presidency, José Antonio Kast has commenced the construction of a border barrier along the Chile-Peru border. This initiative, which reflects promises made during his campaign to tackle immigration issues, has sparked discussions about national security and immigration policy. The project involves digging trenches and potential fencing, expressing a significant shift in Chile's political landscape towards more conservative governance.

Chile's new president has begun work on a border barrier just five days after being sworn into office.

José Antonio Kast appeared at the site along Chile's northern border with Peru on Monday to inspect the trench and chat to construction workers, hailing it as the first step towards meeting his campaign promise to stem illegal immigration.

Only a small portion of the planned barrier has so far been cut into the arid Atacama desert - a ditch a few feet wide and deep.

This project echoes pledges made by former US President Donald Trump, who emphasized wall construction as a central element of his immigration policy.

Addressing the media, Kast remarked that Chile had been violated by illegal immigration, drug trafficking and organised crime, asserting his intent to build a sovereign Chile with the initiative.

For all of Chile, this is a milestone, he said while at the site, near the border town of Arica.

Kast's election marks one of the most significant rightward shifts in Chilean politics since the end of military dictatorship in 1990.

His government estimates that around 336,000 of the more than 1.5 million foreign residents in Chile are undocumented migrants, many from Venezuela.

Asserting a vision for a more secured national border, the barrier will be complemented by military patrols and surveillance systems, covering a portion of the extensive border shared with Peru and Bolivia.

Observing the initial trench work on Monday, Kast emphasized that this project would represent a key commitment to the Chilean people and a response to growing concerns over security and immigration.