Chile's President Gabriel Boric has accepted an invitation by Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro to discuss a violent crime wave believed to be led by a Venezuelan criminal gang. But Boric says he wants more than just rhetoric, as tensions escalate between the two nations.

Santiago

Chile is actively seeking cooperation with Venezuela in an effort to address a surge in violent crime believed to be orchestrated by a Venezuelan criminal organization. President Gabriel Boric of Chile has responded to an invitation from Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's leader, to engage in discussions amid rising tensions between the two countries. Boric has expressed a desire for tangible outcomes from these talks, emphasizing the need for concrete collaboration beyond mere rhetoric.

The increase in crime within Chile, attributed to the so-called Aragua train, a Venezuelan crime syndicate, has included kidnappings, decapitations, and extortion, instilling widespread fear. The situation escalated when Venezuela's foreign minister dismissed the existence of the Aragua train as a media fabrication, a statement that Chile found deeply offensive and dismissive of the victims affected by this criminal group. Many Venezuelans have migrated to Chile, attracted by its stable economy, with a majority seeking legitimate employment. However, Chile's relatively unguarded northern borders with Bolivia and Peru have facilitated the entry of Venezuela's most notorious crime group into the country.

In response to the growing bilateral tensions, President Boric has withdrawn Chile's ambassador from Venezuela. Maduro has extended an offer to discuss the matter directly, in light of the criticisms levied against his country and its alleged role in the crime wave. Boric has cautiously accepted this offer, underlining the necessity for Venezuela to assist in the arrest of two Venezuelan nationals accused of kidnapping and murdering a former Venezuelan army officer in Chile, an act deemed by prosecutors as a politically motivated crime.

The situation has put considerable pressure on Boric's administration, leading to calls from within his own government coalition for significant measures, including a legislative proposal to temporarily ban Venezuelan immigrants. These developments point to a complex diplomatic challenge, highlighting the need for more than just diplomatic dialogue to address the issues at hand.



Chile seeks cooperation with Venezuela to tackle crime

Kidnappings, decapitations, extortion and much more have spread fear throughout Chile ever since the so-called Aragua train, an organized crime syndicate, arrived here from Venezuela. So when Venezuela's foreign minister said that the Aragua train was a figment of the media's imagination, for Chile it was the last straw. His words are deeply troubling and are a grave insult to the families and victims of that criminal organization. Attracted by Chile's stable economy, tens of thousands of undocumented Venezuelans have entered this country. The vast majority have come looking for honest work. But Chile's porous northern borders, with neighboring Bolivia and Peru, have also allowed Venezuela's largest criminal organization to set up shop here. President Boric has recalled his ambassador to Venezuela. But with bilateral tensions escalating, Venezuela's president is now offering an olive branch. I tell President Boric publicly that if you want to talk about the subject, let's talk personally because they toss out accusations that are picked up by the media, which uses them in their campaign against Venezuela. Boric has agreed, but with caution. Beyond the rhetoric and nice words, what we expect is concrete collaboration. What should happen is that Venezuela hand over the criminals who committed a very grave crime. He is referring to Chile's request for cooperation to arrest two Venezuelan men who returned to their country after having allegedly kidnapped and murdered a former Venezuelan army officer and opponent of President Maduro, right here in Chile. The prosecutor says his investigation has led to the conclusion that this was a political crime organized in Venezuela, but he does not say by whom. President Boric is under pressure. We ask the foreign minister and the president to leave our ambassador here and consider breaking ties with Venezuela. Even a socialist congressman from the left-wing government coalition is proposing a bill to ban Venezuelans from entering Chile for the next two years, a deteriorating bilateral situation that will take more than offers of cooperation to fix.

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