Chile Forum

Countryless, I recently read about a guy who also renounced his citizenship, passport, etc. But he has some sort of documentation from the U.N. which identifies him as a refugee, and he also has a (specially designated?) Slovak passport which declares him as such. He lives in Slovakia. Sorry, I don't remember the URL of his blog. You may have better luck doing what he has done. This guy apparently has a lot less hassle in traveling than you would encounter because he has a document stating his official U.N. refugee status.

patagoniax wrote:There is not much water in the Atacama. That is why they call it a desert.

Every desert has its less-desert-like border regions.

patagoniax wrote:Portuguese. Not in Chile. You may be thinking Brazil. Perhaps some more study is in order.

That's why I'm here.

patagoniax wrote:I seem to recall that merely entering Chile illegally, whether via its shores or other frontiers, or facilitating such entry for another person, carries a potential sentence of something like up to 5 years in prison. And if I am not mistaken, even a person who has knowledge of such illegal entry is required by law to report it. And you can't work in that town you were thinking of unless you are legal, and trying that could add some years of prison. I have seen some lists of potential prison time for illegal entry or working in other Latin American countries and the penalties are comparable.

I wasn't aware that just showing up like that would be illegal, though I guess it makes sense in light of all the illegal immigration issues I'm well aware of in North America. What if I went straight to the authorities and explained that I had no documentation, and that I was hoping to stay in Chile on a legal basis? Would that be productive, or just get me arrested quicker?

patagoniax wrote:You haven't indicated anything that would suggest consideration on humanitarian or "refugee" grounds so that appears to be not an option. I don't think I have ever heard of any legal resident from the US or Canada being admitted to Chile under refugee status. How might you indicate you have been threatened in Canada in order to prove your claim for refugee status?

Let's see, repeatedly arrested (usually illegally), held at gunpoint, verbally threatened to be shot, forcibly confined, shipped hundreds of kilometers shackled hand and foot in small metal cages in the back of trucks, and being released hundreds of kilometers from home in -20 weather with a jacket that wouldn't zip up, trying to hitch-hike home wearing a ski mask that didn't exactly make me look appealing to potential hitch-hiker-picker-uppers. Getting shoved into a shower with three Red Alerts (Native gangsters who really do not like White boys). Being assaulted by six sheriffs in a courtroom. And all of this because Canada's 'Charter of Rights and Freedoms' lies when it claims we have freedom of expression in Canada.

patagoniax wrote:Your plan is interesting but it could involve some really unfortunate experiences.

Living in Canada has been a really unfortunate experience.

greg~judy wrote:OK... troll-baiting is fun, arguably for both sides of the equation.
But if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, quacks like a duck...
We all agree, except countryless, that the plan is not feasible.

So, g~'s final (good) advice...
[... he has much more important topics on which to stir-up "legitimate" allchileans ]

If g~ didn't like the "system" in his homeland and felt "persecuted"...
And considering the time, hassles, expenses, risks of the aforementioned harebrained scheme...
g~ would simply tune in, turn on, drop out - go to ground - disappear...
g~ has intimate knowledge of many of the backwoods, mountains, lakes, rivers, valleys
of BeeCee~CanukLand...
There are thousands of places where a guy who wanted to could simply "disappear"
Live off the land - grow yer own...
Sure, a bit tough to get started, but far less difficult than Plan A
And such pioneering stuff is really "character-building".
Lots of "good-ol'-boyz" have done such as this...
...anarchists, survivalists, criminals, draft-dodgers, seekers, rebels without a cause...
Go for it countryless... just "drop out" where ya are - way, way easier in the long run.
You will NOT get better advice than this.
Hasta la vista, baby...

I actually grew up in BC... by Lillooet Lake, to be precise. I spent my first eighteen years in the forest, then went to public school in Pemberton.

Plan A actually is to live in the Canadian wilderness. Chile is my Plan B, and a plan my wife might not be thrilled about.

patagoniax wrote:

GJJIM wrote:In this day and age, I don't see any way of traveling legally without some kind of passport. Perhaps you can appeal to the UN and get a UN Passport (Laissez Passer)?

The Atacama is a beautiful place, a man could definitely find peaceful solitude there.

Solitude in the Atacama should be easy to find. Likewise dehydration. And there are good reasons that the Atacama is used for testing things like the "Mars lander" craft. For our applicant let's supply an image that suggests much of the Atacama: http://web.mit.edu/edbert/Chile/AtacamaMars.jpg

Some of us like desert landscapes, and find scenery like that beautiful. Have you seen the night sky in the Atacama? As for Mars, from my point of view here in the USA, it's looking more and more attractive as a destination.

patagoniax wrote:At the risk of beating this dead horse further, a quote from the UN refugee agency on Chile's policy toward asylum seekers (REF :UNHCR Resettlement Handbook: Country Chapter - Chile)

To qualify for resettlement in Chile the refugees must meet the criteria contained in the
1951 Convention/1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. Moreover they must
be unable to return to their country of origin or to remain safely in their country of
asylum.

This lends further credence to the earlier opinions that this is not a viable option for our Canadian friend.

I found a link to the document in question. So far the criteria look applicable.

The Conference,
considering that many persons still leave their country of origin for reasons
of persecution and are entitled to special protection on account of
their position,
recommends that Governments continue to receive refugees in their territories
and that they act in concert in a true spirit of international cooperation
in order that these refugees may find asylum and the possibility
of resettlement.

Still reading it... it's a lengthy document.

[Perhaps I can claim refugee status, as I'm fleeing an oppressive state. What are the jails like down there, anyway?[/quote]

Canada is an oppressive state? Now it has been years since I was there but I don't think I would have put Canada on my list of oppressive governments. So where does it fit on the world list of oppressive governments? Like between Cuba and Iran? Is it as bad as Chad but not as bad as Taliban era Afghanistan? I am not trying to make fun of your situation…OK maybe I am, but I have been in some shit hole countries in my life and Canada ain’t too bad.

kampalm wrote:Canada is an oppressive state? Now it has been years since I was there but I don't think I would have put Canada on my list of oppressive governments. So where does it fit on the world list of oppressive governments? Like between Cuba and Iran? Is it as bad as Chad but not as bad as Taliban era Afghanistan? I am not trying to make fun of your situation…OK maybe I am, but I have been in some shit hole countries in my life and Canada ain’t too bad.

Hmmmph... a buddy and I actually contacted the Iranian embassy and asked if they could smuggle us to Iran. We were told it was very possible it could be done. Sadly my buddy chickened out, probably afraid he'd fool around with some Iranian chick and get beheaded or some goddamn thing like that, and I got arrested before I could come up with a plan B.

Canada is essentially a Soviet state, as it slides deeper and deeper into the pit of Socialism. When it gets to the point where you're forced to pay taxes and denied freedom of speech, your nation has essentially become one gigantic prison. Imagine not being able to go anywhere without the possibility of getting stopped by police, IDed, and told "Oh yeah, you're that guy with the politically incorrect opinions, we have to lock you up now."

patagoniax wrote:As you noticed, Chile's rules are more rigorous than those of the UN protocols. But the nice extrajería office lady here says that you should contact the Chilean consulate in Canada and discuss your situation with them. If you do not qualify for seeking asylum, there may be another option that they could suggest. Knowing your options before departing Canada would probably be better than an apparently risky trip to Chile only to be turned down and then forced to leave that country.

That's probably the best idea, I guess - call ahead of time and see what the possibilities are.

Canada is essentially a Soviet state, as it slides deeper and deeper into the pit of Socialism. When it gets to the point where you're forced to pay taxes and denied freedom of speech, your nation has essentially become one gigantic prison. Imagine not being able to go anywhere without the possibility of getting stopped by police, IDed, and told "Oh yeah, you're that guy with the politically incorrect opinions, we have to lock you up now."

Yo mate... those Soviets are long gone...
All is now corrupt capitalism and "free markets there, eh?
Same for China... or even the (State) "Socialists 'R Us" in Am'urka
all g~j can say is...
Put this in all in perspective...
And thank your lucky freak'n stars you don't live in south of the border
Or in foreign shores...
Like Saudi Arabia... or North Korea... or (dare we say...) Israel.
Or...(pick another country of your choice________)
Actually... Iran might have been a good idea - too bad it wouldn't work?
With the proviso it will soon be the target of a US~Israel bombing campaign
Hey dude... ya seem to have rubbed the wrong folks the wrong way along the way in CanukLand...
Too bad...
But... the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.
Mayhaps you might take the advice of a famous Ozzie called Chopper Reid...
Who said... "Harden the f**K up"!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw5kH7civTo