Three consecutive long weekends are approaching (June 15 – 22 – 29), and Bogotanos will not be permitted to leave the capital in search of local tourism. In a decision by the governor of Cundinamarca Nicolás García, all roads of the department will be off-limits to private vehicles and curfew in place starting 12:00 am June 13 to 11:59 pm June 15. The same curfew hours will apply to the other bank holidays.
The decision to bar access to Bogotanos visiting 116 municipalities, including popular warm climate destinations Melgar, Apulo, Anapoima, La Mesa and La Vega, follows a similar decision by the department to close its borders during the Easter recess when cases of coronavirus in the country totaled less than 200.
The departments of Boyacá and Meta will also restrict access to their territories with police controls along highways and access roads. Cundinamarca will enforce Decree 312 at 90 checkpoints. The governor of Meta, Juan Guillermo Zuluaga, even went so far as to state that “tourists are not welcome.”
Inter-municipal public transportation is authorized by the Ministry of Transport to move essential workers, healthcare professionals and those with medical appointments. All commuters who cannot justify reasons to be on the road during these puentes face heavy fines and vehicle impoundment. García reminded those who may be planning to escape the city that during the March recess 120 vehicles were immobilized.
Bogotá Mayor Claudia López welcomed the decision by governors as “responsible to avoid risking our neighbors with the virus.”
