Government puts magnifying glass on flights to discourage overseas travel

President Alberto Fernández wants foreign tourism to be reduced as much as possible. And to avoid the complaints and protests of those who continue to travel for this purpose even in the midst of a pandemic instructed the Minister of the Interior, Eduardo “Wado” de Pedro, to draw up a detailed organization chart of regular flights to and from Argentina in the coming months. So each person will be able to know when they will be traveling and will be clear when they return to the country. By establishing tighter controls and with these details, official sources believe people will be encouraged to travel less.

This presidential request, which will also involve the Minister of Transport, Mario Meoni, is closely linked to the restriction of international flights and the closure of land borders ordered in recent weeks as the health situation in several countries vis-à-vis infections coronavirus has deteriorated considerably. The head of state wants to know precisely how many people will be leaving and how many will be coming back so that no one presses the executive with complaints about possible repatriation. It is expected that each passenger takes responsibility for what happens to them.

One of the first steps taken was the suspension of flights to Brazil, Chile and Mexico, three of the countries whose situation is increasingly complicated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, the number of planes that can operate daily in Ezeiza was limited to 7 daily flights. And the latest provision in this regard was passed last week when it was established that only 4 flights are allowed to arrive per day.

By plane, you can only enter through the airports of Ezeiza and San Fernando and by sea through the services of Buquebús that depart from Uruguay with a single daily frequency.

According to figures published by the National Directorate of Migration, until last week there were around 37,000 Argentines abroad that in the affidavits they filled out when boarding an overseas flight, they revealed that they were doing it for tourism. From March 27 to April 2, the week in which new restrictions on international flights were announced, according to Migrations, 9,264 Argentines left Argentina by plane and nearly 45% of them did so for tourism. The United States, Spain, Chile and Bolivia are among the top four destinations with 3,082, 1,886, 748 and 521 travelers respectively.

Of those who have left, 26.7% correspond to residents abroad, while 12.8% have traveled for work. 6.05% did so because they left the country and the remaining 6.8% for “other” reasons.

From the government, they have already assured that repatriation flights are not considered as at the first stage of the pandemic, in March and April 2020, when 200,000 people outside the country were stranded.

During this same period, from March 27 to April 2, 10786 people registered (Argentines and foreigners with Argentinian documentation). Most came from the United States (2,916), Spain (1,362), Chile (927), Mexico (886) and Panama (787).

The land borders, for their part, with 237 crossing points, are closed to the entry of people by private vehicle, bus or on foot. There were two buses from Brazil that were detained at the Paso de los Libres border post in Corrientes until a court ruling ruled in favor of those “stranded” who were cleared. and quarantined in the Mesopotamian city for 10 days before being able to circulate again through Argentine territory.

This resolution, said Florencia Carignano, director of migration, at the start of last week, will in principle remain in force until April 9. Some had been opened in December – Paso de los Libres-Uruguayana (in the province of Corrientes), Cristo Redentor (in Mendoza), San Sebastián (in Tierra del Fuego) and Gualeguaychú-Fray Bentos (in Entre Ríos) – but now they remain closed to enter the country. They can only be used by those who carry out commercial activities.