Peru FA Min: About 12,000 compatriots repatriated after border closure

The cabinet member said the Foreign Affairs Ministry and other State-run institutions immediately secured flights that returned the fellow citizens who had been stranded in different parts of the world.

In this task, the Government used the flights from friendly countries —which were coming to Lima to pick up their nationals— with the aim of transporting Peruvians.

In this regard, the minister affirmed that about 28,000 

foreigners —who had been in Peru since the state of national emergency was declared— returned to their countries of origin.

Likewise, the Government official indicated that the repatriation will continue, but no longer with the same frequency.

The diplomat also highlighted the joint work of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Tourism, and Health; the Migrations agency; the National Civil Defense Institute; and the National Police in the return of fellow citizens.

"The idea is not to put the health of Peruvians at risk," he told RPP radio and TV station.

Concerning the Peruvian citizens —who died in different parts of the world from coronavirus and whose families request the return of their remains— the minister said he expressed his condolences to them and informed that they will be supported to the extent that the protocols of the countries within the COVID-19 framework allows.