Chile Decrees 90-Day State of Disaster to Contain Covid-19

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After holding an emergency meeting due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, announced the State of Constitutional Disaster Exception for the whole national territory, a measure that entered into force on Thursday, March 19th, at midnight.

According to the President, the announcement “makes it possible to carry out a number of measures, including restricting meetings in public areas, ensuring the distribution of basic goods and services, ordering the creation of food reserves and other supplies required for the care and livelihood of the population, establishing quarantines or curfews, dictating protective measures for public utilities, and limiting traffic or the mobility of people”.

The law states that when declaring the State of Disaster, Chile’s regions will be immediately dependent on the administrative authority appointed by the President of the Republic, which will direct its jurisdiction, with all the powers and duties permitted by law.

The measure was released after the last update delivered by the health authority, which confirmed that thus far there were 238 people diagnosed with the Covid-19 in the country.

Border closure

On Wednesday, March 18th, the closing of land, sea and air borders throughout the country was initiated in order to prevent the spread and import of the Covid-19. As a result, the crossing of foreigners is banned, but it does not affect the inflow and outflow of cargo and carriers, thus ensuring Chile’s regular supply.

The measure, which aims to protect the health of the country’s citizens, will not affect Chileans and permanent residents seeking to come through any land, sea, or air border, but in doing so, they are required to report to the Sanitary Customs and, if coming from countries at risk, undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The health authority confirmed that this measure is being implemented in cooperation with the Armed Forces and the Carabineros (Chilean police force) and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will carry out a repatriation program so that Chileans in Peru may return (due to the measure preventing foreigners from leaving the country).

The docking of cruise ships on the several national ports remains banned until September 30th.

According to a latest resolution of the Ministry of Health, published on Wednesday, March 18th, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru are added to countries that were already considered high risk, such as China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. Thus, if any Chilean or resident in the country should come from these regions, they will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine.

All updated information on the action plan established by the Chilean government to tackle this pandemic can be found at www.gob.cl/coronavirus.

Likewise, the departure of foreigners from Chile is proceeding regularly; to date, only the ban on foreigners entering the country has been decreed.