On Saturday, August 22, 2026, as early as 7:00 a.m., people were already gathered in front of the Haitian Embassy at Avenida Republica 590 in Providencia, Chile. Several hundred highly motivated and angry Haitians were protesting the impossibility of obtaining criminal record certificates.
"The National Migration Service (SERMIG), the Government of Chile, is pressuring us to obtain criminal record certificates (certificado de antecedentes penales ) in order to regularize our status; the Embassy of Haiti is unable to provide them to us," explained David Antoine, Spokesperson for the Haitian community in Chile.
Faced with the lack of response from consular authorities, frustration led to crowd unrest. Several violent protesters forced their way through the gates and the entrance door to enter the diplomatic premises, seeking to speak with the Consul. The premises were vandalized. "What happened is very worrying and shameful. Unfortunately, we are currently experiencing problems with these certificates […] Many people come thinking they can obtain their certificate. This document is in high demand, and many people are turned away because they lack it," stated David Antoine. Without this document, many Haitians face orders to leave the country (within 90 days), placing them under the direct threat of deportation.
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