Chile repatriates Haitians under voluntary program

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, CMC – Chile has repatriated 170 Haitians who have volunteered to return home under a humanitarian plan.

“We are pursuing the program of voluntary return of Haitian citizens enrolled in a special register and, in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic, we are permanently helping to return to Haiti,” said Rodrigo Ubilla, Chilean Under-Secretary of the Interior.

The Haitians left here on board a Chilean Air Force plane and it was the first occasion for the year that the repatriation exercise had been undertaking, bringing to 677 the number of Haitians repatriated so far by Chile.

Ubilla said that 1,887 people have already registered for a voluntary return including 1,805 Haitians, 46 Colombians, 12 Venezuelans and five Cubans.

He said that the next flight under the program is scheduled for January 30 with an estimated 173 Haitians due to return home.

“All countries do not consider as part of their migration policies aid for families or people who have entered the country and have not seen their dreams come true,” he said, noting that Haitians residing here, who wanted to return home had until October 17 last year to do so.