From November 11 to December 31, 2023, a total of 25,895 foreign citizens voluntarily left Peru through the northern border, having not regularized their immigration status, as established in the modifications to the Migration Law conducted by the Peruvian Government in the context of delegation of legislative powers by Congress.
The Ministry of Interior (Mininter) recalled that, during the second week of November, the Peruvian National Police (PNP) had deployed more than 400 agents in the sector called Puente Internacional (International Bridge) —located in Aguas Verdes district, Zarumilla province, Tumbes region— to avoid the irregular entry of foreign citizens.
Tumbes Police Front Chief, PNP General Javier Gonzales, specified that these actions are complemented by continuous identity check, search, and migratory movement operations carried out in coordination with the Ecuadorian Police, thanks to a binational border agreement.
"Police personnel in Tumbes region continue guarding the borders to prevent the entry of irregular foreigners into Peruvian territory," said the PNP officer after reporting that last December more than 10 transportation companies were intervened, as they had been attempting to transport migrants, in irregular situation, to the Peruvian capital, Lima, or to the country's southern regions.
General Gonzales also specified that on January 1, 2024, a total of 105 foreigners —including adults and minors— crossed the border voluntarily to return to their countries of origin.
To this end, the Peruvian National Police keeps a security corridor in the border area with Ecuador open in order to protect, accompany, and facilitate the departure of said foreigners.
The Tumbes Police Front head underscored that these security efforts were strengthened due to the delivery of 50 vehicles by Mininter in August 2023 to the border control posts located in that northern region.