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Saturday, March 12, 2022

Ukrainian couple to enter Bolivia tomorrow; Government "disassociates" officials who denied entry

  The director of Migration, Katherine Calderón, indicated this afternoon that the Ukrainian couple, who were rejected and returned to Argentina, will enter Bolivia tomorrow. Meanwhile, the officials who denied them entry were "disassociated".

"From the Ministry of Government and the General Directorate of Migration this procedure is reproached, so much so that the necessary and legal actions are being initiated to sanction these officials," Calderon said at a press conference.

 The airport inspector, the person in charge of the inspectorate, the Santa Cruz district manager and the national airport manager were removed from their functions after the impasse with the Ukrainian couple, Calderón said.

Migration blamed the migration control officials at the Viru Viru international airport, Santa Cruz, for "misinterpreting the law" and "making a personal decision".

Calderon added that the action of the officials "does not represent the decision of the Bolivian State regarding the state of vulnerability of the people who were present at the airport".

The Director General of Migration assured that diplomatic steps have already been taken with Argentina for the Ukrainian citizens to return to the country tomorrow. A plane of the state-owned company BoA will take them and will arrive at Viru Viru airport around 13:00.

"This director will be present to receive them with open arms and show respect for the regulations in force", assured Calderón.

The Ombudsman's Office condemned the actions of immigration control officials and recalled that Article 12 of Law 251 for the Protection of Refugees states that "the competent authorities shall assist all refugees and applicants for refugee status, in accordance with the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the Regulations of this Law".


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