Minister of Health: Despite Court Order, Visitors To Colombia Do Not Require PCR Test

Dr. Fernando Ruíz Gómez, Colombia’s minister of health (above photo) clarified in a statement that despite a judge’s order insisting that Colombia require negative PCR tests or a two week isolation for visitors to Colombia, the government would not implement such restrictive measures, calling them impossible to comply with. For now, people may continue to enter Colombia without proof of a negative Coronavirus COVID PCR test. Be sure to subscribe to Finance Colombia for free updates at http://fcsubscribe.com

Ruíz indicated that during December 2020, the country expects 120,000 inbound travelers, between tourists and Colombians returning from abroad. “As long as the Ministry of Health does not apply the ruling and does not change the rule, the situation will continue the same,” said Ruíz.

“For the people who are traveling to Colombia we want to tell them that while this situation supplies the entire legal process, they will be able to continue coming to Colombia without taking the PCR test and without having to be subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine,” he said.

In late November, an attorney, Alberto González Mebarack, launched a lawsuit in Bogotá to demand that the Colombian Ministry of Health reimpose the requirement for a negative PCR test on any traveler entering Colombia. After considering the demand for 11 days, the judge initially ruled in favor of the attorney, who claimed that the motivation for his suit was that Colombia does not have sufficient health care capacity to control risks caused by such international travel.

Photo courtesy Colombian Health Ministry