¿Un ejemplo a seguir?

Chile to send army to guard Bolivian border

 

Wednesday, 13 July 2011 23:01 - Written by Nathaniel Frandino

Iquique Plan seeks to diminish high crime rates in Tarapacá Region.

In order to curb high crime rates in the Tarapacá Region, the Chilean government is sending the army to block any illegal passages along the country’s 226-mile border with Bolivia. The initiative, known as the Iquique Plan, aims to combat incidents in a region where 46.8 percent of its homes were victimized in some form of crime during the past year, according to official reports. Authorities believe the uncontrolled border contributed to those rates.


“These passages are permitting, and reflect in a certain manner, the high rates of insecurity that we have because that’s where the drugs, stolen cars and illegal transit occurs, which are the three factors that affect our bad safety ratings,” Tarapacá Regional Governor Luz Ebensperger told La Tercera.

The plan, which costs close to US$13 million, includes more police officers, more vehicles and better technology to patrol the border. Officials are exploring the possibility of digging ditches and building barriers to prevent access to people without authorization. Ebensperger said they would do anything to make the illegal transits more difficult for criminals.

“The Interior Ministry wants to back up the entire border of the Norte Grande,” Ebensperger said. “The only thing we’re not going to do is lay mines.” The measure comes less than a month after Chilean officials arrested 14 armed Bolivian soldiers. Officials confiscated their weapons and held them for two to three days before returning them to Bolivia.

In addition to sending the army, the government also plans to install security cameras along major routes to track stolen vehicles. Grand theft auto has become a major concern in the area after Bolivia passed an amnesty bill that allows for people to register undocumented cars. The cameras will record in real time and information will be passed to the police. The system would cost US$4 million.

By Nathan Frandino (editor@santiagotimes.cl)
Copyright 2011 – The Santiago Times