With the recent apprehension of nine Bolivians, among them seven employees of the customs office and two soldiers, while carrying out an anti-smuggling operation at the border, one must take into account the historical context and precedent that lends itself to these types of geopolitical spats between the two neighboring countries.

Reimy Ferreira, the Bolivian Minister of Defense, planned to visit two Bolivian soldiers and seven customs officials arrested under charges of robbery in Chilean territory.

The President of the Organization of American States questions Argentina’s commitment to human rights after the arrest of opposition leader Milagro Sala.

The porous Venezuela/Colombia border, the Arauca River, has long been a cause of tension between the two countries, and has repeatedly been closed since 2015.

The arrest of nine Bolivians at the border, by Chilean police officers, has raised tensions between both nations.

Peru’s recent floods have devastated numerous homes and created chaos, which has resulted in the need for humanitarian aid from neighboring countries such as Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and Brazil.

When Carlos fled El Salvador, in early March 2016, he headed toward Mexico, unsure of what his final destination would be. He no longer thinks of Mexico as a transitionary destination before reaching the United States; he now plans to seek permanent refuge from La Mara Salvatrucha.

Bolivian President Evo Morales had some choice words for Chile’s representatives following hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to end the dispute between the two countries over the Silala River.

Increased immigration within and to the Americas has prompted the Organization of American States (OAS) to call on nations to commit to greater coordination, as well as take steps to protect human rights along migration routes, and finally, to limit the use of detention against migrants.

The triple border—Tabatinga, Leticia, and Santa Rosa—is a major cocaine route for smugglers, and security forces lack effective resources for border control.