Chile Demands Justification from the U.S. Following Visa Revocation of Officials

Original article: “No tiene ninguna justificación”: Chile exige la lista de funcionarios y los fundamentos a EE.UU. tras revocación de visas

President Gabriel Boric labeled the U.S. State Department’s decision to revoke visas for three officials in his government as «arbitrary and unjustified,» prompting the Chilean Foreign Ministry to summon U.S. Ambassador Brandon Judd for formal explanations regarding a measure that caught La Moneda off guard.

Chile expressed strong opposition to the unilateral visa restrictions imposed by the United States (U.S.) against three officials from President Gabriel Boric’s government.

During an official visit to Rapa Nui, the head of state addressed the measure taken by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which justified the decision by alleging that the Chilean officials had engaged in actions compromising critical telecommunications infrastructure and regional security.

Boric stated that the U.S. decision is unfounded and constitutes a unilateral act that undermines diplomatic relations between the two countries.

«As the Head of State, as President of Chile, I assure you that our government has never engaged in any activity that undermines the security of Chile, nor of any other country,» he affirmed.

The President elaborated on his condemnation of the measure, indicating that it was surprising to his administration both in its content and the manner in which it was communicated, without following normal diplomatic channels.

«Chile is and will remain autonomous in the decisions it makes, and our Foreign Minister, Alberto van Klaveren, has summoned the U.S. ambassador to the Foreign Ministry to demand explanations for this arbitrary, unilateral, and unexpected measure that, from our perspective, has no justification,» he stated.

The President’s remarks highlight the tension sparked by the State Department’s announcement, which was published on the official website of the U.S. department and also circulated on Marco Rubio’s social media.

In the message, the U.S. Secretary of State indicated that the action affects «Chilean government officials who are working against our interests and harming regional security,» an accusation viewed from Santiago as unfounded and lacking evidence.

Specifically, President Boric dismissed any risk to regional security, asserting that his government operates with «certainty.»

«We always, always take all necessary precautions; we systematically analyze all alternatives in accordance with Chilean law and international law, and I can assure you with total confidence that there is no kind of threat to regional, national, or hemispheric security as stated in this statement,» he emphasized.

President Boric: «We Do Not Accept Impositions»

In his statements, the head of state took the opportunity to draw a clear line regarding how La Moneda addresses such external pressures.

«We do not accept impositions from anyone regarding sovereign decisions made in Chile,» Boric emphasized, reiterating that his administration will not yield to what it perceives as attempts to condition the country’s internal policies.

In this context, the head of state underlined the need for the defense of sovereignty to take precedence over internal political differences.

«As a government, I hope that all of us as a country always stand by the Chilean flag and you can be certain that our government—and I have no doubt in the future as well—will always prioritize the interests of Chile and Chileans over any other considerations from any other country, and we do not accept impositions from anyone regarding the sovereign decisions made in Chile,» the President reaffirmed.

The firmness of the President’s words also responds to the political context the country is navigating, less than a month before the change of command. The State Department’s statement included explicit references to the transition, indicating that «at its end, Boric’s government legacy will be further tarnished by actions that undermine regional security at the expense, ultimately, of the Chilean people,» a phrase interpreted in La Moneda as an inappropriate interference in the national political process.

Chile Demands List of Officials and Justification from the U.S. Following Visa Revocations

While President Boric spoke from Rapa Nui, in Santiago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement expressing its «surprise at the announcement from the U.S. Department of State indicating that the official entry visa to that country has been revoked for three government officials, accusing them of participating in activities that undermine regional security.»

«The government of Chile rejects these accusations and categorically denies participating in activities that undermine the security of the continent or third countries. Likewise, it condemns the imposition of any unilateral measures that violate the independence of our country or attempt to weaken the legitimate right to exercise our national sovereignty,» the text outlined.

Alongside the public statement, Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren proceeded to summon the U.S. ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd, to meet at the Foreign Ministry to provide formal explanations regarding the measures taken by the Trump administration.

According to diplomatic sources, the invitation serves a dual purpose: to learn the specific reasons that led Washington to adopt this measure and, fundamentally, to obtain the identity of the three affected officials, information that the State Department has yet to provide.

The Foreign Ministry statement also raised that the goal is for Judd to also inform the names of the affected officials, «given that we have not received official notification of the measures taken by the current administration of the United States.»

The lack of prior notification is one of the aspects that has generated the most backlash from the Chilean government, given that standard diplomatic practice dictates that such decisions are first communicated to the affected country’s authorities before being made public.

«It should be noted that it is not diplomatic practice to make public announcements without prior official notification, and such behavior is inconsistent with the depth and diversity of the areas in which we dialog and cooperate with the United States, a historical and strategic ally of our country,» argued the statement.