Peru’s President José Jerí announced a state of emergency along the southern border and deployed additional armed forces as Venezuelan migrants began leaving Chile amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment.

Many migrants had previously traveled to Chile seeking stability, but fears of mass deportation under ultraconservative presidential candidate José Antonio Kast have prompted some to head north.

Kast, leading in Chile’s Dec. 14 runoff, warned immigrants without legal status to leave voluntarily or face detention and expulsion, fueling panic along the border.

Migrants arriving in Peru faced uncertainty, with some stranded due to lack of entry permission, prompting Jerí to inspect border controls and strengthen security, the AP has reported.

Chilean officials acknowledged that campaign rhetoric can influence migration, while Peru dismissed Kast’s statements as not representative of the Chilean government.