The director of the Institute of Human Rights (INDH), Sergio Micco, referred to the situation of Bolivians who have stayed overnight for three nights in a row outside the consulate of their country, located in the commune of Providencia.
“We come here to the consulate and the consul is not, the consulate is closed. We then contacted the consul and he has pointed out to us that he can do nothing, which we found a terrible answer,” he said. Despite the above and among the measures they have determined, they consider that “first of all, this is an international problem, so we spoke to the minister, Teodoro Ribera, who will contact the Bolivian chancellor”, he said, in addition to adding that in the crisis of Iquique a good solution was achieved and there is already a path forward.
“With the Bolivian chancellery we already had a good experience in Iquique, where the institute and the Human Rights Defender of Bolivia also played a role, since we are working with her as well,” she said.
“Secondly we have spoken to the Minister of the Interior, because here the thing is very calm since there are 3 or 4 Carabineros and there is no problem. Thirdly, we have spoken to the Intendent and the Governor because there is a very critical issue that relates to masks and alcohol gel, since Bolivians are not keeping their social distance, as we ask them about the quality of the masks and do not change them because they do not have more,” he says.
Micco explained that “there are already Bolivians in 6 hostels, some from the Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM), and we are waiting for the governorate to bring health supplies and then we have to work and talk to the municipalities to establish shelters as was done in Iquique so that eventually Bolivians pass quarantine,” he argued , in addition to adding that “one of the conditions imposed in the Pisigua crisis, was that only Bolivians and Bolivians who did not have COVID-19 were allowed in.”
“Here are several human rights that are being violated; life; health and the right to transport, but our policy as an institute is to cooperate, to pressure state agents, but not to enter into a judicial policy, although that will depend on how things evolve.”
In addition, he maintained that “we as an institute protect the human rights of all the inhabitants who are in Chile, regardless of their nationality”.
“We are in front of the Bolivian consulate, where there are 480 people, in addition, in terms of health, a neighbor behaved very well and collaborated with 2 chemical baths, which vents the issue,” he added.
Matthei calls on Bolivian government for help
The mayor of Providencia, a commune where the Bolivian consulate, Evelyn Matthei, is located, also called on Bolivian President Jeanine Añez to help her countrymen.
“I imagine that the governments have their time, however, I beg and implore the Bolivian president, Jeanine Añez, to please go by so that these 400 citizens who are on the street, assuming that we will give them the conditions to comply with quarantine in a dignified situation, that please let them enter Bolivia ” that’s enough,” he said.
“All the rest, how we move them and how we feed them, we’re going to figure it out, we’re not going to ask the Bolivian government for a peso, but to make sure they’re going to let them in,” he asked.
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