Peruvian President Dina Boluarte said Tuesday that her government will financially monitor the sending of remittances abroad by Venezuelans living in the country, in response to reports of an increase in crime that the president linked to migrants.
The announcement comes before a strike in a public transportation and commerce sector scheduled for Wednesday, in order to demand greater action from the Government against insecurity and the wave of extortion of businesses.
Boluarte, who did not provide evidence or figures on the sending of remittances linked to crime, also stated in a press conference that Venezuelans living in Peru will be required to that they present their housing and work rental contracts to prove that they are employed legally, and that foreigners who commit crimes will be expelled.
“We are going to monitor the financial system, we are going to monitor the foreign currency or remittances that are sent out of the country, to know where they generate that income”he told journalists at the Government Palace.
“And whoever does not answer truthfully, where their income is from, well, we are going to hit them there,”added Boluarte, in reference to Venezuelan migrants residing in the country.
According to data from the UN Refugee Agency, more than 1.5 million Venezuelans have emigrated to Peru, in the midst of an exodus to several Latin American countries fleeing the economic and humanitarian crisis in the oil country.
The president, who offered a conference after 100 days without answering questions from journalists, said that the measure is part of a “readjustment” to her immigration policy, seeking to stop the entry of mostly foreigners since 2017, when the government of then-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski granted a temporary residence permit to Venezuelan migrants.
Low popularity
Yamileth Chávez, leader in Peru of the “Comando Con Venezuela”, stated that the majority of migrants work without a contract and that the Peruvian Government “should rather” monitor companies that do not offer the corresponding benefits.
“It is in Boluarte’s best interest to blame the Venezuelan so that they do not criticize him so harshly”he said in a telephone conversation with Reuters.
“They must attack illegal firms that send money,but not to ordinary Venezuelans who send their remittances for their honest work.”added the leader, who said that foreigners are also victims of insecurity.
At the end of September, the Peruvian Government declared a state of emergency in 14 districts of Lima, empowering the military to help the police fight against insecurity. in the midst of criticism from formal companies that claim that the State is losing the battle against organized crime.
Almost two weeks ago, a two-day transport strike restricted mobility and commerce, mainly in Lima.
