Want to know more than opening of the Friendship Bridge?
Come and understand more about the latest news we have from the Paraguayan border.
Opening of the Friendship Bridge – Latest news
Update – October
On 22/09/2020, the reopening of the Friendship Bridge was approved by the National Government of Paraguay, where entry for tourists will be allowed from the day October 15 this year.
We await the government's official decree, but according to reports, the President of Paraguay has already approved this new measure.
In the words of the director of the Paraguayan Migration sector, Ángeles Arriola, the following information was released:
“The President of the Republic of Paraguay was very clear and said that it is an important step towards the reactivation of the local economy”
The news was spread across several websites and there is a huge uproar on social media on the Paraguayan and Brazilian borders.
What will this possible opening be like?
The reopening of the Ponte da Amizade, according to the news that came out, will take place on a test basis, for a period of 15 days.
Only inhabitants of Foz do Iguaçu and Ciudad Del Este can cross the bridge, only documentation such as ID with dispatch in Foz do Iguaçu will serve as an identification document for Iguaçu residents.
This test period will be observed and later analyzed by the Health Surveillance Office, in a meeting to discuss the increase in coronavirus cases during the pandemic in the region.
First gradual opening
Many doubts arose after new news from the Paraguay border, some people started asking things like “Is Friendship Bridge open?” or “The Friendship Bridge has already opened”.
After the Paraguayan government issued a decree signed by President Mario Abdo Benítez on the 08th of this month, there was much speculation about the “gradual” opening of Paraguay's borders.
So, what are we going to deny about these rumors about the opening of the Friendship Bridge?
See below!
Read also Health safety standards will be checked in tourist services of Foz do Iguaçu.
First reopening of the Friendship Bridge
Note: This is previous news, before September 22nd (About the first gradual opening, carried out by bubble flights):
Well, this is one of the main doubts that people have been having since the last decree from the Paraguayan government.
Although many people were excited, with a possible opening of the Friendship Bridge, in fact, this decree is not what was really expected of people here in the Triple Border.
But, after all, what is this Friendship Bridge reopening then?
Check it out!
The “bubble flights” of the new decree
What was actually released were flights for governmental, humanitarian or commercial purposes, only from Montevideo in Uruguay and Asunción in Paraguay, foreigners in this segment will be released for flights.
These connections were called “bubble flights” or “burbuja flights”, where they do not have defined times and are only between Uruguay and Paraguay.
Therefore, This decree does not apply to our region, this clarification ended up discouraging many people and leaving things at the border more pressured about when the Friendship Bridge will reopen.
Participants on this flight must take Covid-19 tests and present a negative result 72 hours before boarding. After returning to their country, they must stay in a health hotel for 7 days and then take another coronavirus test.
Read also What are your plans for returning to the city?
Paraguay has not opened all its borders
According to the Director of Migrations of Paraguay, Ángeles Arriola, stated that Paraguay has not resumed opening its borders completely, therefore, only international commercial flights between the two mentioned countries have started.
In fact, Paraguayans who participate in these new flights with Uruguay will not be able to go to other countries through Montevideo. Just like anyone who goes to Paraguay on this scale cannot go to other places outside the country.
Why open only to Uruguay?
According to Arriola, Uruguay would be a country with lower numbers of deaths and contagion from Covid-19, logically this is true, if we compare the size of that country to ours.
This decree, although limited only to Uruguay, will serve as a legal framework for the opening of Silvio Pettirossi Airport and also the return of aeronautical industrial activities, until then stopped by the pandemic.
Friendship Bridge reopening to Brazil
For Arriola, it makes no sense to open the Bridge when the border through Brazil is closed. But due to Brazilian regulations, our side of the border only It should only be closed until September 29th.
When will Paraguay's border open?
Well, on this side, it is expected that this issue will be resolved, when Brazil and Paraguay reach an agreement on the opening terms and protocols that benefit both, in addition to, of course, there will be a decrease in coronavirus cases in Brazil.
So in the meantime, we'll keep asking the Friendship Bridge when it opens?
Possibly, yes.
But, as a result of all this, how are things in both border regions? Read further!
Border with Paraguay – How are things today?
Since March 18th, the Friendship Bridge has remained closed to this day. This sparked a wave of debates and even protests here and in our neighboring country because of this measure.
Almost every day, news from Foz do Iguaçu emerges involving Paraguay, often about public figures and their positions against this closure.
Businesspeople and traders also commented on the million-dollar losses caused by the current scenario, in addition to the high numbers of layoffs and store closures, more situations like these are being noticed in this difficult process.
Despite all this, no official statement on the subject has been released by the Paraguayan government, therefore, it is vital to be credibly informed about the new decrees and not fall into error. Fake News in this period.
Read a complete article about these measures in Paraguay: Border with Paraguay: When will the Friendship Bridge open?
Friendship Bridge closed until when?
The hopes for when the Friendship Bridge will open is that it will be in a safe and conscious way, for both countries and, mainly, for the local populations who depend on this economic return.
The president of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, remains firm in his decision to keep the border closed.
Therefore, many people are just betting on guesswork about when the Friendship Bridge will open, but this is not a prediction that just one person can make.
There is no exact forecast, we may be close or far from reopening, as stated by the head of the Ministry of Health of Paraguay, Julio Mazzoleni, “I don’t see the border opening in the immediate future, but I’m not too far away either".
The president of Paraguay continues with the same speech, where the priority is protect the population and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which would be favored by a sudden opening of all borders.
In short, this idea suggests that it depends more on controlling the pandemic here in Brazil for this opening, than on easing social isolation in Paraguay in these times.
Find it out: 8 Tourist Destinations in Brazil most sought after post-pandemic.
Conclusion – Opening of the Friendship Bridge
In this article, we talk about this theme of the Ponte da Amizade 2020 opening, we explain more of the latest news that emerged and ended up confusing people in the region.
We hope that the planned opening of the Friendship Bridge will be done in the most assertive way possible, where Brazil and Paraguay are safe and prepared for this resumption, which is so important for both their populations.
Recommendation…
Until then, how about planning your trip to Foz do Iguaçu? In advance, choose the stay and tourism agency that knows how to take care of you and your family!
Make your reservation at Tarobá Hotel, which is prepared with all the necessary health and safety measures to protect its guests while they explore the Land of Cataract!
Who has stayed with us: Blog After Fifteen – by Bruna Vieira
Cover: Friendship Bridge | Avant Productions.
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