Bolsonaro: Borders with neighboring countries to face restrictions

President Jair Bolsonaro said the government should restrict the circulation of people across the borders between Brazil and other South American nations due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Thus far, the only restriction was imposed on the borders shared with Venezuela, in the northern state of Roraima.

“Venezuela is more important, as people there are running away from famine, extreme poverty, and also an installed dictatorship. We feel sorry, but we can’t take risks,” the president declared outside the Alvorada official residence, on Wednesday (18). “We’re finishing talks on other countries; we’ll do what we can to curb the entry of people.”

The president argued it is not easy to control the flow of people, as borders between Brazil and other countries make circulation easy. “Uruguay and Paraguay have land frontiers. In several towns, it’s just an imaginary line,” he said.

Earlier on, the precedent said the spread of the new coronavirus in Brazil has the government concerned. He urged the population to make an effort to abide by the recommendations made by the authorities and not panic.