Costa Rica restricts cargo carriers from Panama to stop Covid-19
To date, Costa Rica has rejected the entry of 31 foreign carriers from the northern border with Nicaragua, at the Peñas Blancas and Tablillas posts for testing positive for Covid-19, including one Panamanian.
The Government of Costa Rica made the decision to limit the entry of foreign carriers to the national territory, "in order to prevent the borders from eventually becoming sources of contagion" of the Covid-19 virus.
Starting Monday, May 18, the entry of foreign carriers will be restricted and only those who make transit from border to border will enter the country, said Michael Soto, Minister of Public Security, Government and Police of Costa Rica.
According to the official, these carriers will be given strict monitoring and police surveillance to the border post to guarantee their traceability and prevent contagion, since only one stop is allowed.
"Likewise, it will coordinate with the institutions involved to allow the entry of merchandise, considering that the foreign person will not be able to enter the country, only allowing the cargo to enter the primary area of the border post," Soto explained.
Two decrees signed by the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, regulate the measures taken regarding international land mobilization.
The authorities of the neighboring country established the modalities of unhooking, hooking and releasing, for the entry of the merchandise in the Costa Rican territory.
Under the disengagement scheme, the driver, once in the primary or Costa Rican border zone, parks his transport and proceeds to separate the head of the articulated part from the container or cargo.
After a disinfection process, a Costa Rican or foreign carrier with legal status in Costa Rica hooks that container or cargo to the head of its articles and transports the merchandise, either to the national territory or to the Central American region.
While in the relay mode the disinfection and deep cleaning must be guaranteed, before the new driver steps in.
In all cases, the foreign driver must remain exclusively within the primary area of the land border posts, "so that the entry of goods into the country is not affected, and companies can coordinate their removal with the corresponding authorities," said Soto.
For its part, the Panamanian government claimed to be aware of "the unilateral measure" adopted by Costa Rica, to prevent the borders from eventually becoming sources of contagion by Covid-19.
Representatives of the ministries of Health and Commerce and Industries; and the National Immigration Service coordinate the necessary measures to guarantee Panamanian carriers the best conditions for their health safety, the National Customs Authority (ANA) reported in a statement.
The corresponding communications will also be established to continue negotiating the search for the best procedures and mechanisms that guarantee the flow of merchandise for the region and the facilitation of trade, detailed ANA.
Starting Monday, May 18, the entry of foreign carriers will be restricted and only those who make transit from border to border will enter the country, said Michael Soto, Minister of Public Security, Government and Police of Costa Rica.
According to the official, these carriers will be given strict monitoring and police surveillance to the border post to guarantee their traceability and prevent contagion, since only one stop is allowed.
"Likewise, it will coordinate with the institutions involved to allow the entry of merchandise, considering that the foreign person will not be able to enter the country, only allowing the cargo to enter the primary area of the border post," Soto explained.
Two decrees signed by the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, regulate the measures taken regarding international land mobilization.
The authorities of the neighboring country established the modalities of unhooking, hooking and releasing, for the entry of the merchandise in the Costa Rican territory.
Under the disengagement scheme, the driver, once in the primary or Costa Rican border zone, parks his transport and proceeds to separate the head of the articulated part from the container or cargo.
After a disinfection process, a Costa Rican or foreign carrier with legal status in Costa Rica hooks that container or cargo to the head of its articles and transports the merchandise, either to the national territory or to the Central American region.
While in the relay mode the disinfection and deep cleaning must be guaranteed, before the new driver steps in.
In all cases, the foreign driver must remain exclusively within the primary area of the land border posts, "so that the entry of goods into the country is not affected, and companies can coordinate their removal with the corresponding authorities," said Soto.
For its part, the Panamanian government claimed to be aware of "the unilateral measure" adopted by Costa Rica, to prevent the borders from eventually becoming sources of contagion by Covid-19.
Representatives of the ministries of Health and Commerce and Industries; and the National Immigration Service coordinate the necessary measures to guarantee Panamanian carriers the best conditions for their health safety, the National Customs Authority (ANA) reported in a statement.
The corresponding communications will also be established to continue negotiating the search for the best procedures and mechanisms that guarantee the flow of merchandise for the region and the facilitation of trade, detailed ANA.