La decisión del Gobierno de Chile de militarizar la frontera con Bolivia y ordenar la construcción de “barreras físicas” genera polémica en el lado boliviano y algunos analistas advierten que viola el Tratado de 1904 que fijó los límites definitivos entre ambos países.

Tras asumir el gobierno el 11 de marzo, el presidente José Antonio Kast firmó un decreto con el que da cumplimiento a su promesa electoral de combatir la migración ilegal y reforzar el control de la frontera norte. “Le encomiendo que nos colabore con la construcción de barreras físicas para detener el ingreso de la migración ilegal”, indicó Kast al jefe del Ejército, Pedro Varela, durante el acto en el que firmó la norma.

La decisión no deja de ser controversial. Horas antes, Rodrigo Paz había asistido a la toma de posesión y manifestó en medios chilenos su voluntad para retomar las relaciones diplomáticas con Chile con mensajes como “siempre es mejor el futuro que el pasado”, “en el vecindario hay que tratarnos de buena manera” o “la lógica es que nos llevemos bien para crecer, nuestras naciones se merecen una mejor relación”.

Para el periodista y analista político Raúl Peñaranda, la noticia del control fronterizo cayó como “un balde de agua fría” en medio de los anuncios sobre el posible restablecimiento de relaciones diplomáticas con Chile. “Paz y Kast se estaban tomando la mano, se estaban dando ‘piquitos’ y este es un balde de agua fría, una señal inamistosa de Chile y va a generar repercusión”, afirmó.

Fuera del nuevo contexto diplomático, también surgieron observaciones sobre la supuesta falta de coherencia entre el decreto y lo dispuesto en acuerdos bilaterales. El expresidente Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé (2005-2006) apuntó que contrasta con el Tratado de 1904 en el que Chile reconoce a Bolivia el más “amplio y libre” derecho de tránsito por su territorio hacia los puertos del Pacífico. Rodríguez agregó que la medida “no es la mejor señal de buena vecindad”.

Otros actores políticos como el excandidato presidencial Samuel Doria Medina también cuestionaron la determinación de Kast. “Le deseo una buena gestión, pero comienza cometiendo un error”, escribió en su cuenta de X.

Según datos oficiales de Chile, cerca de 180.266 bolivianos viven en ese país, lo que representa menos del 10% de los extranjeros residentes. Si bien no se encontraron cifras sobre las nacionalidades de migrantes indocumentados, el Instituto Nacional de Estadística estima que existen cerca de 337.000 extranjeros en situación irregular.

Bolivia y Chile no tienen relaciones diplomáticas plenas desde la década de 1970 por el reclamo boliviano de un acceso soberano al Pacífico. La disputa entre ambos países gira básicamente en torno al reclamo boliviano de acceso soberano al océano Pacífico, perdido en una guerra con Chile en 1884 que constituye el precedente sobre el cual se estableció el Tratado de 1904.

El distanciamiento entre La Paz y Santiago se profundizó en los últimos años a raíz de la demanda marítima interpuesta por Bolivia ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia en 2013 y el juicio que inició Chile ante el mismo organismo por las aguas del Silala en 2016.

La administración de Rodrigo Paz no se ha manifestado oficialmente sobre esta determinación. Sin embargo, en una entrevista radial con el programa Asuntos Centrales, el canciller Fernando Aramayo manifestó: “Lo respetamos; no vamos a ir por encima de la soberanía de los pueblos; necesitamos conversar estos temas y evitar que esto se lea desde una perspectiva negativa”.

En el Legislativo la decisión encuentra posiciones encontradas. Mientras diputados como el opositor José Sánchez expresaron su preocupación, otros como el oficialista Ricardo Rada respaldaron la determinación del Gobierno de Chile. “Cada presidente tiene el derecho de establecer su política de Estado en los límites de su territorio”, afirmó Rada, consultado por el canal RTP.

Mientras la construcción de un muro en medio de ambos países parece inminente, el presidente Paz y el canciller Aramayo apuestan por minimizar el asunto y destacar el avance de una agenda común que incluiría temas comerciales, energéticos y otros.

A new terrorist group with suspected links to the Iranian regime emerged in Europe last week. Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right) has claimed responsibility for four attacks on Jewish targets across the continent.

A synagogue in Liège, Belgium, was the first target of an explosive attack on Monday. An arson attack on a Rotterdam synagogue followed overnight on Friday and an explosive device was set off at a Jewish school in Amsterdam the next evening.

Several sources have linked an additional attack at a Jewish site in Greece on Wednesday with the group, though no specifics were given about the target or method of attack.

BROTHER OF MICHIGAN SYNAGOGUE ATTACKER WAS HEZBOLLAH TERRORIST, ISRAEL ALLEGES

Joe Truzman, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the FDD’s Long War Journal, told Fox News Digital that when he saw the statement from the organization following their Monday attack, he «thought it was a little bit amateurish.» Truzman said that after videos from the group became to emerge, he «realized that there’s probably something more here to this organization.»

He said that the war in Iran has likely «compelled the group, for whoever is behind this, to start launching these attacks.» Truzman said he «suspect[s] this organization is being directed» and that there is «an entity behind it.» 

Truzman says he suspects the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) itself, which he says «has been active in Europe» and has «attempted to eliminate or assassinate dissidents.» Though he does not discount them being entity of an Iraqi militia group.

A pedestrian walks past a synagogue on ABN Davidsplein in Rotterdam, western Netherlands on March 13, 2026 after an arson attack. A formerly unknown terrorist group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, claimed responsibility. (Media TV via ANP / AFP via Getty Images)

In addition to anticipating further attacks from Ashab al-Yamin, Truzman said that he is concerned that «the dissemination of [terror] videos online may compel other people to commit antisemitic attacks» in Europe. According to Truzman, Ashab al-Yamin’s videos are «starting to gain traction. They’re starting to get the views, and people are seeing it. And maybe the ones that are radicalized already or are going to be radicalized, may be influenced by these videos, and may commit an antisemitic attack or an attack on a Jewish site.»

He said that the attacks «have been mostly unsophisticated, but things may change, and they may start targeting people, too, during the day, when it’s busy.» So far all attacks have come at night.

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Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X that the group was tied to the regime in Tehran. «A jihadi group tied to an Iranian proxy» was responsible for the string of attacks. They noted that «the IRGC continues to sponsor and export terror across the globe.»

Onlookers are increasingly tying the attacks back to the war in Iran. The World Jewish Congress raised alarm bells about Ashab al-Yamin on X, stating that «security analysts believe the group may be part of Iran’s expanding network of proxy actors operating far beyond the Middle East.» The Congress called on governments to «treat this threat with the seriousness it deserves, dismantle the networks behind these attacks, and ensure Jewish communities can live and worship in safety.»

Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister, called the attacks «part of a troubling pattern.» He explained that «terror networks linked to the Iranian axis are trying to expand their arena of activity into European cities and Jewish communities.»

Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The State Department did not respond to questions about whether it had previously been tracking Ashab al-Yamin, or if it planned to issue a warning to Americans traveling abroad to avoid Jewish institutions, but an alert from the U.S. embassy in the Netherlands on Monday warned, «Following recent targeted explosive incidents in the Netherlands and in other major European cities, the U.S. Mission to the Netherlands reminds U.S. citizens to maintain good personal security practices and exercise heightened situational awareness, consistent with the Department of State’s recent Worldwide Caution alert.»

The alert added, «As noted in the Travel Advisory for the Netherlands, terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the Netherlands. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.»

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Israel’s National Security Council recently warned its citizens traveling abroad to conceal items that might identify them as Israeli or Jewish and to «avoid visiting sites identified as Jewish or Israeli» following the first of three shootings at Toronto synagogues in early March.

There’s a new push to give federal reparations to descendants of slaves among congressional Democrats, this time being led by progressive Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich.

Thanedar introduced a bill late last week that would set up a federal commission to «study and distribute land reparations» for the descendants of slaves in the U.S. The legislation has no formal backers and faces steep obstacles to advancing in the Republican-controlled House.

«The history of historical injustices against Black Americans by our federal government is nothing short of shameful,» Thanedar told Fox News Digital in a statement. «Formerly enslaved families were promised land as a means of securing freedom and self-sufficiency, but these promises were broken, and the devastating economic effects of this broken promise is still felt today.»

Thanedar’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding how the legislation would work in practice.

NO CLEAR CHAMPION OF CASH PAYMENT REPARATIONS AMONG DEMOCRATS IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE

Reparations refer to financial compensation for Black Americans intended to address economic harms their ancestors experienced during slavery and the Jim Crow era. Republicans oppose the idea over eligibility concerns and their belief that present-day Americans should not be responsible for harms committed generations ago.

The reparations push comes as Thanedar, a two-term lawmaker, is facing a serious challenge from the left ahead of Michigan’s August 2026 primary. State Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Mich., is vying to unseat Thanedar in the deep-blue district with the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders I-Vt., and the progressive group, Justice Democrats — despite Thanedar’s own progressive credentials.

But Thanedar’s support for Israel has served to alienate him from the furthest-left flank of his party, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a fellow member of his state’s delegation. He left the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), of which Tlaib is a member, after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel in 2023.

Tlaib is also supporting McKinney’s campaign.

Thanedar, an Indian American, has supported slavery reparations since before his congressional tenure.

«Every other community has — Japanese Americans got their [reparations], American Indians got their reparations,» the Michigan Democrat said in 2022 while running for Congress. «This is something that needs to be handled in a fair way.»

Rep. Shri Thanedar argues reparations are necessary to correct a «broken promise» to descendants of slaves. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

ILLINOIS CITY WAS THE FIRST TO PAY BLACKS RESIDENTS 25K IN REPARATIONS, BUT HOW WILL IT FIND MORE FUNDING?

Thanedar is an original cosponsor of H.R. 40, also known as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, which aims to kickstart the reparations process for descendants of slaves. The Michigan Democrat is also a proud supporter of more expansive legislation that aims to transfer $14 trillion in estimated losses to reparations recipients.

The legislation was originally introduced by Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., in 2023, when it was similarly dead on arrival in the GOP-controlled House.

Progressive Democrats have long advocated for the passage of reparations legislation but have encountered resistance from members of the party’s moderate flank who view the idea as politically toxic.

Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., vetoed legislation in 2025 that would have enacted a reparations commission at the state level. Moore is notably one of the only Black Democratic governors in the country and is rumored to have presidential ambitions.

Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., broke with progressive members of the Democratic Party in 2025 over slavery reparations. (Shannon Finney/NBC via Getty Images)

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Thanedar has also introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and other Trump administration figures, despite opposition from House Democratic leadership.