Chilean Army installs concrete barriers on Peru border

The Chilean Army is reinforcing the northern border in the Arica y Parinacota region by installing large reinforced concrete tetrapods to block unauthorized vehicle crossings. These massive structures, weighing approximately 16 tons and measuring nearly 3 meters in height, are being placed at vulnerable points along the border with Peru to prevent smuggling and organized crime.

This deployment is part of the ‘Plan Escudo Fronterizo’ (Border Shield Plan) under the administration of President José Antonio Kast. The strategy aims to curb irregular migration and illicit transit by combining physical barriers—such as these tetrapods and three-meter-deep trenches—with technological surveillance.

In addition to physical obstacles, the military is utilizing the Integrated Border System (SIFRON), night surveillance technology, sensors, and constant land patrols to monitor the high-altitude areas. These measures are authorized under Decree No. 78, which allows the Armed Forces to support border control in the northern macro-zone to combat rising irregular flows and associated crimes.