Chile coordinates efforts between state powers to find lost Haitian minors

Chilean authorities have launched a high-level, inter-institutional effort to find more than 200 Haitian children and adolescents who entered the country in 2025 but have since disappeared.

The government announced the creation of a dedicated task force, comprising members from all three branches of the state, to expedite the search. This move follows an emergency meeting led by President José Antonio Kast, reflecting the "sensitive and potentially grave" nature of the situation, according to Minister of Social Development and Family María Jesús Wulf.

"The central objective is to urgently find answers and protect the children and adolescents who may have been victims of abuse," Wulf stated, acknowledging suspicions of human trafficking. The minors reportedly arrived via charter flights between January and October 2025, accompanied by adults with whom they had no familial ties, according to an initial investigation by the National Migration Service.

The investigation seeks to clarify the roles of the accompanying adults and any potential human trafficking networks involved. It will also examine the responsibilities of airlines, travel agencies, and others who facilitated these journeys. Official figures indicate that Chile is home to nearly 188,131 Haitian residents, making them the fourth-largest foreign community, with many arriving under family reunification programs between 2022 and 2025.

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The situation is "very sensitive and potentially grave".