The Last Frontier | POY Latam

Vista aérea de la Ruta 15 en el desierto más árido del mundo y que une la zona fronteriza de Colchane con la ciudad de Iquique donde miles de migrantes venezolanos recorren sus 230 km de extensión con tramos de vía que alcanzan los 4350 metros de altura y temperaturas entre 35 grados y -10 grados, en Huara, el 18 de febrero de 2021. Vista aérea da Rota 15 no deserto mais árido do mundo, ligando a área fronteiriça de Colchane à cidade de Iquique, onde milhares de migrantes venezuelanos percorrem seus 230 km de 230 km com trechos de estrada que atingem uma altitude de 4350 metros e temperaturas entre 35 graus e -10 graus, em Huara, em 18 de fevereiro de 2021. Aerial view of Route 15 in the driest desert in the world, linking the border area of Colchane with the city of Iquique, where thousands of Venezuelan migrants travel its 230 km of 230 km with stretches of road that reach an altitude of 4350 meters and temperatures between 35 degrees and -10 degrees, in Huara, on February 18, 2021.

El migrante venezolano Rubi Alexander G. (L) y sus amigos buscan refugio en un desaguadero de aguas lluvia en la Ruta 15 para pasar la noche cerca del pueblo de Quebe, luego de cruzar de Bolivia a Chile, en Quebe, el 17 de febrero de 2021. O migrante venezuelano Rubi Alexander G. (esq.) e seus amigos buscam refúgio em um canal de drenagem de água da chuva na Rota 15 para passar a noite perto da cidade de Quebe, depois de atravessar da Bolívia para o Chile, em Quebe, em 17 de fevereiro de 2021. Venezuelan migrant Rubi Alexander G. (L) and his friends seek shelter in a rainwater drainage channel on Route 15 to spend the night near the town of Quebe, after crossing from Bolivia into Chile, in Quebe, on February 17, 2021.

Migrantes venezolanos caminan hacia Iquique desde Colchane, Chile, luego de cruzar desde la frontera con Bolivia, el 22 de septiembre de 2021. Miles de migrantes han cruzado ilegalmente la frontera norte de Chile. Migrantes venezuelanos caminham em direção a Iquique a partir de Colchane, Chile, após cruzarem a fronteira com a Bolívia, em 22 de setembro de 2021. Milhares de migrantes cruzaram ilegalmente a fronteira norte do Chile. Venezuelan migrants walk towards Iquique from Colchane, Chile, after crossing from the border with Bolivia, on September 22, 2021. Thousands of migrants have illegally crossed Chile’s northern border.

Migrantes venezolanos prenden una fogata para pasar la noche en la interperie en la localidad de Quebe, muy cerca de la frontera de Chile y Bolivia, el 23 de septiembre de 2021. (Foto de MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP) Migrantes venezuelanos acendem uma fogueira para passar a noite ao ar livre na cidade de Quebe, muito perto da fronteira do Chile e da Bolívia, em 23 de setembro de 2021. (Foto de MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP) Venezuelan migrants light a bonfire to spend the night outdoors in the town of Quebe, very close to the border of Chile and Bolivia, on September 23, 2021. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP)

Vista de una maleta de mano abandonada por migrantes en la Ruta 15 en su camino de Colchane a Iquique, en Quebe, Chile, el 18 de febrero de 2021. Cruzar a pie las tierras altas de la frontera entre Bolivia y Chile es la parte más difícil del travesía que atraviesan los migrantes venezolanos en su camino a Iquique o Santiago. Vista de uma mala de mão abandonada por migrantes na Rota 15, a caminho de Colchane para Iquique, em Quebe, Chile, em 18 de fevereiro de 2021. Atravessar a pé as terras altas da fronteira entre a Bolívia e o Chile é a parte mais difícil da jornada que os migrantes venezuelanos fazem a caminho de Iquique ou Santiago. View of a carry-on suitcase abandoned by migrants on Route 15 on their way from Colchane to Iquique, in Quebe, Chile, on February 18, 2021. Crossing the highlands of the Bolivia-Chile border on foot is the most difficult part of the journey Venezuelan migrants go through on their way to Iquique or Santiago.

Una migrante colombiana que se desmayó después de ser detenida mientras cruzaba ilegalmente desde Perú junto a su pareja y otra persona en Arica, Chile, el 28 de septiembre de 2021. Cientos de migrantes, principalmente de Venezuela y Haití, ingresan a Chile cruzando ilegalmente el frontera con Perú todos los días. Uma migrante colombiana que desmaiou após ser detida enquanto atravessava ilegalmente a fronteira do Peru com seu parceiro e outra pessoa em Arica, Chile, em 28 de setembro de 2021. Centenas de migrantes, principalmente da Venezuela e do Haiti, entram ilegalmente no Chile pela fronteira com o Peru todos os dias. A Colombian migrant who fainted after being detained while crossing illegally from Peru along with her partner and another person in Arica, Chile, Sept. 28, 2021. Hundreds of migrants, mainly from Venezuela and Haiti, enter Chile illegally crossing the border with Peru every day.

Un policía fronterizo chileno usa binoculares para identificar a las personas que cruzan ilegalmente desde Perú, en Arica, Chile, el 28 de septiembre de 2021. Cientos de migrantes, principalmente de Venezuela y Haití, ingresan a Chile cruzando ilegalmente la frontera desde Perú todos los días. Um policial de fronteira chileno usa binóculos para identificar pessoas que atravessam ilegalmente a fronteira do Peru, em Arica, Chile, em 28 de setembro de 2021. Centenas de migrantes, principalmente da Venezuela e do Haiti, entram no Chile atravessando ilegalmente a fronteira do Peru todos os dias. A Chilean border policeman uses binoculars to identify people crossing illegally from Peru, in Arica, Chile, September 28, 2021. Hundreds of migrants, mainly from Venezuela and Haiti, enter Chile illegally crossing the border from Peru every day.

La policía desaloja a migrantes de Venezuela y Colombia que vivían en tiendas de campaña en la Plaza Brasil de Iquique, Chile, el 24 de septiembre de 2021. (Foto de MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP) A polícia expulsa migrantes da Venezuela e da Colômbia que estavam vivendo em barracas na Plaza Brasil em Iquique, Chile, em 24 de setembro de 2021. (Foto de MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP) Police evict migrants from Venezuela and Colombia who were living in tents at Plaza Brasil in Iquique, Chile, on September 24, 2021. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP)

Migrantes venezolanos son vistos en el lugar donde pasarán la noche en Iquique, Chile, el 25 de septiembre de 2021. Migrantes venezolanos que cruzan la frontera de Bolivia a Chile buscan refugio en el desierto después de cruzar cinco países sudamericanos. Migrantes venezuelanos são vistos no local onde passarão a noite em Iquique, Chile, em 25 de setembro de 2021. Os migrantes venezuelanos que cruzam a fronteira da Bolívia com o Chile buscam refúgio no deserto depois de atravessar cinco países sul-americanos. Venezuelan migrants are seen at the place where they will spend the night in Iquique, Chile, on September 25, 2021. Venezuelan migrants crossing the border from Bolivia into Chile seek refuge in the desert after crossing five South American countries.

Manifestantes queman un campamento improvisado de migrantes venezolanos durante una marcha de protesta contra la migración ilegal en Iquique, Chile, el 25 de septiembre de 2021. Foto de MARTIN BERNETTI Manifestantes queimam um acampamento improvisado de migrantes venezuelanos durante uma marcha de protesto contra a migração ilegal em Iquique, Chile, em 25 de setembro de 2021. Foto de MARTIN BERNETTI Demonstrators burn a makesifht camp of Venezuelan migrants during a protest march against illegal migration in Iquique, Chile on September 25, 2021. Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI

Hand in hand with his father, 11-year-old Julio arrives in northern Chile after completing a risky journey that started in Venezuela and took him through five South American countries. He is tired and scared, like hundreds of Venezuelans who cross the border every day in search of refuge.

“What I want is to see my mother and get there now”, says Julio shyly, who has just crossed into Chile with his father in Colchane, on the border with Bolivia, in the middle of the altiplano.

Ahead of them lies the Atacama Desert. More than 100,000 square kilometers of arid soil, a barren land 1,600 km long and up to 180 km wide. Julio’s story is that of hundreds of small children who sleep outdoors in bus terminals or on endless routes between Antofagasta, Colchane, Iquique and Arica, AFP journalists found on a long tour of the region.

Chile is the third destination in the region for the 5.5 million people who have left Venezuela, mired in the greatest political and economic crisis in its modern history, the second largest current exodus in the world after Syria. The country has received 460,000 Venezuelans, a figure only surpassed by Colombia and Peru, with 1.8 and 1.1 million respectively, according to UNHCR.

On September 25, a group of Chileans in Iquique protested against Venezuelan migrants installed in public space and burned their clothes, toys, blankets and tents donated by local organizations and neighbors.

“Events of this nature do not arise by spontaneous generation, but are fed by the discourse that assimilates migration to crime, criminalizing migrants in the eyes of the local population,” warns the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe González Morales.

“But they are not going to judge a whole country for a few damaged people,” says Jenny Pantoja, 34, who is waiting for help promised to her by a group of neighbors in Iquique to travel to Santiago with her five children, one grandchild, the children’s father and a son-in-law.

In Arica, on the border with Peru, Carabineros Major Patricio Aguayo explains on a border patrol that they are looking to intercept human smugglers, and that their mission is to protect the migrants and provide them with support.

Night falls and the patrol detects a group of seven Venezuelans. Under the vehicle’s headlights they are paralyzed, hugging each other, showing panic, while Aliegnis, 10 years old, clings to her mother, cries and begs to be allowed to enter Chile.