Venezuelans mass on border as Peru tightens restrictions
tumbes (Peru) — Peru on Saturday closed its borders to Venezuelan migrants without a passport, as thousands holding only identification cards reached the border in a last minute crush, some beating the deadline with special assistance from Ecuador.
Thousands of Venezuelans fleeing their country’s spiraling economic and political crisis rushed towards the Peruvian border after last week’s announcement from Lima that they had one week to enter before a passport would be required.
The flood of Venezuelans at Peru’s northern border crossing at Tumbes was so overwhelming that the station — normally open 24 hours a day — closed at midnight Friday (0500 GMT Saturday) when the new rules came into effect.
The lucky ones already in line were handed tickets and told they could still enter without a passport when the border crossing reopens at sunrise. Border agents took no questions from reporters.
Ecuador opened a “humanitarian corridor” on Friday and lifted its own entry restrictions to facilitate the Venezuelans’ travels to Peru.
Interior Minister Mauro Toscanini said that 35 busloads of migrants were on the move along the route authorities had opened to Peru.
“We got here because the Ecuadorans brought us aboard five buses under escort,” a grateful Virginia Velasquez, 36, said. She managed to slip into Peru just minutes before midnight. “Thank God I’m in Peru,” added 15 year-old Felipe Fernandez, who arrived with his parents and a brother.
Peru is one of the region’s fastest growing economies with 4.7 percent growth projected for next year.
But anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise, and stricter requirements for Venezuelans has popular support. There are already an estimated 400,000 Venezuelans in Peru. “We’re sorry for the Venezuelan people, but they are taking a job away from a Peruvian,” said Giannella Jaramillo, who runs a clothes stall in Aguas Verdes, a town bordering with Ecuador. “It’s hard to help more people.” More than 2,500 migrants swamped the small Aguas Verdes crossing on Friday — 10 times the usual daily traffic.
Given the new Peruvian restrictions some Venezuelans decided to stay in Ecuador — including Lourdes Ruiz, 36, who had been traveling for one month by land destination Lima.
Anyway, “we don’t have anyone to receive us” in Peru, Ruiz told AFP on the Ecuadoran side of the border.
Several groups have set up aid stations in the six kilometer gap between the Ecuadoran and Peruvian border crossings.
Some of the Venezuelans walked 2,000 kilometers and more carrying young children and their luggage in tow. The lucky ones arrived on buses and trucks.