On April 16, 2026, Chile conducted its first expulsion flight for migrants under the government of José Antonio Kast. A total of 40 individuals, originating from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia, were deported on a Chilean Air Force plane back to their home countries. This action aligns with Kast’s electoral promise to deport approximately 330,000 migrants in irregular situations.
The deported group consisted of 17 Bolivians, 4 Ecuadorians, and 19 Colombians. After a technical stop in Iquique, the flight continued to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Quito, and finally Bogotá. According to authorities, 25 of those expelled faced administrative measures, while 15 had judicial orders for crimes such as theft and drug trafficking.
Although this type of expulsion is not new in Chile, the Undersecretary of the Interior, Máximo Pavez, emphasized the speed of this government compared to the previous one. Kast has expressed his commitment to intensifying these operations, promising that this will be ‘the first flight of many.’ However, some critics have questioned the effectiveness of these measures and the feasibility of fulfilling deportation promises, given that there are over 75,000 pending expulsion orders.
