Xenophobia during 2021 and the try of creating new rules

“By amending the statutory law on immigration and reviewing the penal code, the government of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo intends to strike hard against "citizen insecurity." He blames it largely on "foreign citizens," and hopes to honor one of his campaign promises of 2021, when he had given "72 hours" to "those who come from other countries to disrespect [us]" to leave Peru. The draft, which is extremely severe towards foreigners, extends the grounds for expulsion and increases the ban on entry to the territory from 15 to 25 years for migrants who commit offenses. Among new motives for expulsion: breaching health measures – not having up-to-date vaccinations, for example – although vaccination is not compulsory in Peru. Others include failing to present identity papers, driving a delivery vehicle without authorization or carrying a weapon. Harsher penalties are also considered for "disobedience" to authority with a minimum of three years imprisonment; or for refusing to undergo a blood test to determine the consumption of drugs or alcohol”. (Chaparro, A; 2022)

In 2021 there were many problems with the presidency and the power that was all given to the state, also the creation of new rules and regulations that were affecting Peruvians with the change of government that was happening during those times. Pedro Castillo won the elections and became president of Peru, one of his proposals had been that he would give all migrants fewer freedoms, he would treat them as different and the rules would be much more severe with them than with Peruvians, all Venezuelans should have their vaccinations completed, their papers had to be current, they could not disobey the police and norms, they cannot have anything illegal and if they did not comply they would go to jail apart from being removed from the country for life and be notified to their own country. On July 28, 2021, he gave the order to all migrant criminals to leave the country within 72 hours and so they would stop ruining the country with the things they did, this was not fulfilled since he didn’t have enough power, an attempt was made to expel a large group, but this effort was not completed because of an agreement that was reached with the Venezuelan government.

What Castillo had planned is an example of how bad the country is focusing on the xenophobia; it shows stereotypes and how it is that the actions Venezuelans do are always been generalized to the others just because they believe it is okay to see them as a threat instead of an ally for work or different things. These rules were implemented for a short time, but they still generated a lot of hatred against migrants. You can't make everyone good and generous, but you can't think that everyone is bad either. Since this was done in 2021 during a pandemic, it was not given much importance, some people did not watch the news because of the fear of covid cases and how crime was increasing, making others blind of what was happening and how there was no reason of wanting everyone out just because of some others failing on what they were supposed not to do.

Source:

Chaparro, A. (2022). Peru's government wants to expel Venezuelan migrants. Recovered from https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2022/08/31/peruvian-government-wants-to-expel-venezuelan-migrants_5995318_4.html