Land borders with Spain to remain closed until May 15th

The land borders between Portugal and Spain are to remain closed at least until May 15th, the country’s Minister of Internal Administration has announced.

“In coordination with the Spanish government we approve the extension for another month, until May 15th, of border controls and the limitation to nine exclusive crossing points on our land border with Spain,” Eduardo Cabrita said at a news conference held on Monday night, after what was the seventh meeting of the group monitoring the implementation of Portugal’s State of Emergency.

Portugal’s land borders with Spain have been controlled since 11 p.m. on March 16th, with checks carried out at nine authorised crossing points.

The border points in operation are Valença-Tuy, Vila Verde da Raia-Verín, Quintanilha-San Vitero, Vilar Formoso-Fuentes de Oñoro, Termas de Monfortinho-Cilleros, Marvão-Valencia de Alcântara, Caia-Badajoz, Vila Verde de Ficalho-Rosal de la Frontera and Vila Real de Santo António-Ayamonte.

All tourism and leisure travel between the two countries is prohibited, and only the transport of goods and trips by cross-border workers are allowed.

At the news conference, Cabrita stressed that the government’s position is in line with that expressed by the country’s president, who has said he intends to renew the State of Emergency for a third period, from April 18th to the beginning of May.

The minister also considered essential an assessment that is to be made this week by epidemiologists, underscoring that “it is fundamental to continue this effort” and to participate in the Europe-wide debate that is underway on a gradual and coordinated strategy of a return of some economic activities.

“Any gradual return of activities requires a great respect for the obligations of social distancing, protection of the most vulnerable, and that sustained steps are taken in the country and … with all countries on a European scale,” he said.

The monitoring group, which is chaired by the minister, monitors and produces regular information on the State of Emergency. It includes representatives of the security forces and services and Secretaries of State for Economy, foreign affairs, the cabinet office, defence, public administration, health, environment, infrastructure and housing, and agriculture.

In Portugal, according to Monday’s bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health, there had been 535 deaths associated with Covid-19, up 31 or 6.2% from Sunday’s cumulative total, and 16,934 confirmed cases of infection by the new coronavirus, up 349 or 2.1%.

Of those infected 1,187 are in hospital, 188 of them in intensive care units, while 277 patients have already recovered.

Portugal, where the first confirmed cases were registered on March 2nd, has been in a State of Emergency since March 19th and is to remain so until the end of April 17th.