The securitization of the Peruvian-Chilean border and the criminalization of the migrant in the discourse of Sin Fronteras (Tacna, Peru)

This article analyzes the journalistic discourse of the Tacna-based newspaper Sin Fronteras during the migration situation on the Peruvian-Chilean border between February and May 2023. Through a qualitative approach based on Critical Discourse Analysis of 139 press articles, the research examines the linguistic and narrative mechanisms used to construct the figure of the migrant. The results reveal the predominance of a securitization and criminalization frame that presents migrants as a threat to public order and security while legitimizing the state’s response of control and militarization. It is concluded that the media outlet not only reports on the situation but actively participates in its social construction, contributing to a climate of hostility and marginalizing human rights perspectives. This study highlights the ethical responsibility of the local press in shaping perceptions of migration in high-tension border contexts.