Page 31 - The Summit of the Americas 2021

INSIDER

Grey outlook for Latin America

The outlook for the Latin American spread of mutations and new varieties of traffic also means that border stores solely
travel retail industry remains unclear. COVID. depend on local residents from sister towns
As we go to press, Brazil continues with According to ANAC, the Brazilian for sales.
record numbers of deaths and infections Civil Aviation Authority, domestic air Ferries are not much better off with
from the coronavirus; Argentina, Peru and travel in Brazil fell last year by 52.5% and Buquebus only having six weekly sailings
Paraguay are also recording high numbers is down by 38.4% through to the end of on the Buenos Aires - Montevideo route
of infections. February this year. International travel fell compared to the normal 26. The Colonia
But critically, the lack of vaccinations by 72% in 2020 and was down 86.5% for route served by Buquebus (between 28
in most countries in the region prevents the first two months of 2021. The figures and 40 sailings) and Colonia Express
governments from opening frontiers to are equally depressing in other countries (28 sailings) has not operated since the
tourists and business travelers. Only Chile with many aviation authorities delaying pandemic began.
and Uruguay seem to have key sectors publication of new results. There are rumors of further
vaccinated, although the number of Passenger traffic was also dramatically restrictions in the short term with only
infections remain high in both countries. down in 2020 compared to 2019 in Buenos the most optimistic observers expecting
Travel possibilities have been very Aires (-76%), Lima (-70.3%) and Santiago openings and improvement in Q3 and Q4
much stop-go and it seems likely to stay de Chile (-72.8%). this year.
that way as governments try to curtail the Restrictions on movement of vehicular JG

Rising virus numbers pause South American recovery – for now

As TMI goes to press at the end of be reprogrammed to ensure that all health people on March 27 and 28, equaling about
March, the rising number of cases of protocols are adhered to. 86% of the country’s population, after a
COVID-19 and its variants are causing new Under the new measure, Mercopress rising number of the British and Brazilian
restrictions in South America. reports that Argentines returning from variants of the virus were detected.
Brazil reported more than 100,000 abroad will have to pay for the PCR tests
Sars-CoV-2 infections in a 24-hour period and quarantine will have to be observed Uruguay
on March 25. The virus has already killed at a venue to be chosen by the authorities. On March 24, the government of
over 310,000 people nationwide in Brazil, Non-resident foreign nationals will under Uruguay ordered all schools and public
second only to the United States in the no circumstance be allowed into the offices to remain closed at least until the
number of Covid-19 deaths and infections, country for leisure purposes. end of Easter Week, due to its biggest wave
in a situation than continues to worsen. Flights were already banned to and of COVID-19 infections, including heavy
from Great Britain and Northern Ireland spread of the variant of the virus out of
Argentina out of fear of a second coronavirus wave. Manaus, Brazil. In addition, all duty free
As of March 27, in a move to curb shops on the country’s border with Brazil
the spread of infection, Argentina halted Chile are to remain closed until April 12. The
all flights to and from Brazil, Chile and The government of Chile imposed government did not order a lockdown or
Mexico. Flights to other countries are to mandatory lockdowns on some 16 million mandatory quarantine, however.

Brazil: Privatization in times of pandemic

The Brazilian government has insisted interest in bidding for the 22 airports up for aviation, both are key for the Brazilian
that the COVID-19 pandemic would not auction. The airports are divided into three aviation business. The two airports, seen by
halt their airport privatizations plans, groups in the north, center-west and south many observers as Infraero’s last remaining
arguing that the airports to be privatized of the country with Curitiba (6.5m pax), crown jewels, will be tendered along with
depended mainly on domestic aviation Foz de Iguacu (2.3m pax), Goiânia (3.3m 15 other airports and the objective is to
as opposed to international and that the pax) and Manaus (3.1m pax) being the top complete the process prior to the 2022
concession period of 30 years was more attractions for interested parties. Presidential elections. Then the government
than enough for the winners to regain their Only last month, the Brazilian Civil must decide the future role of Infraero,
investment. Aviation authorities announced preliminary which may be liquidated following the final
The sixth round, however, was studies for the seventh and last round of privatisation tender.
postponed late last year and is now due privatisation. Both Congonhas (22.1m pax) JG
to take place on April 7. Civil aviation in Sao Paulo and Santos Dumont (9.1m
authorities told the Brazilian press that pax) in Rio de Janeiro are up for grabs and Passenger numbers 2019 – last full year
more than 15 groups have shown an although both depend totally on domestic pre-COVID– source Infraero

31 April 2021 The Virtual Summit of the Americas Issue