Colombia closes its borders to foreigners

On Monday, March 16, in an unprecedented action, Colombia closed its borders to all foreigners in response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

The closing of the borders is to prevent an outbreak in the country with 54 confirmed cases: 28 in Bogota, 7 in Medellin, 7 in Neivo, 3 in Cartagena, and one each in Cali, Palmira, Cucuta, Manizales, Dosquebradas, Facatativá, Villavicencio and in Rionegro (Antioquia).

From Monday, March 16, the incoming travel ban is for all non-resident foreigners. In addition, resident nationals or migrants must be isolated for fourteen days, on a mandatory basis.

The announcement was made this Sunday on Twitter where the president wrote that “non-nationals and non-residents of Colombia are restricted from entering the country.”

The first confirmed case in Colombia was announced on March 6 and since then authorities have instituted a series of measures to prevent the spread of the disease, including the suspension of massive events, the cancellation of shows and now the closing of borders.