Immigration in Chile

The Haitian population

Over the last few years in Chile, there has been an increase in immigration. Immigrants come to Chile from all over South America, but the biggest population so far is the Haitian population.

Why come to Chile? Because it has the most stable economy in Latin America which means opportunities for people are available. Therefore, making the trip from Haiti to South America doesn’t sound so bad if a better quality of life is guaranteed.

Haiti is an undeveloped country that lacks the resources and opportunities for its people to live well. Therefore, they have to migrate to other countries because they have no other option to survive. When there’s no food in the table, people have to leave in order to give their families something to eat. Also, living under precarious conditions makes them leave the country. The infrastructure is bad, the government is still recovering from the earthquake back in 2010, and the quality of life is bad.

There are approximately 150,000 Haitians living in Chile according to the last census back in 2017.

What challenges do they face when they get to Chile?

First, the language barrier because in Chile like most of Latin America, the official language is Spanish. They speak Creole which means that they have to learn a new language when they get to Chile to be able to communicate. And the second challenge they face is racial discrimination. Although the Chilean society is very welcoming when it comes to immigrants, they’re conservative when it comes to race. Haitians are often discriminated for the color of their skin in the Chilean society or because some don’t speak Spanish.

All they want is a better future for themselves and their families. So why close the doors for them? If they’re willing to work hard to make the Chilean economy grow, they shouldn’t get looked down upon. We are all equal despite our differences.

Story modeled after:

“Lighting Flashes in El Salvador”

http://www.worldhum.com/features/travel-stories/lightning-flashes-in-el-salvador-20100922/

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