Andes snowstorms keep major Argentina-Chile border crossings shut; trucks stranded for days

Severe winter conditions continue to paralyze key border crossings between Argentina and Chile, significantly disrupting economic activity and leaving thousands of truck drivers stranded.

The Andes region has been battered by snowstorms since mid-July, with recent intensification leading to the closure of more than fifteen international crossings. Provinces including Mendoza, Neuquén, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego, Río Negro, and Catamarca are heavily affected. The critical Paso Cristo Redentor in Mendoza has been closed for 25 consecutive days. While Argentine authorities have cleared Ruta 7 up to the tunnel entrance, the Chilean side, Los Libertadores, remains shut.

Argentine officials state they have the operational capacity to reopen, but Chile has not granted approval due to forecasts of approaching weather systems. In Uspallata, near the Mendoza crossing, approximately 1,500 trucks are waiting, with drivers enduring extreme temperatures as low as -13°C. Similar situations are reported at the Pehuenche pass.

Further north, the Agua Negra pass in San Juan is also closed, along with smaller crossings. In Patagonia, the Cardenal Samoré pass in Neuquén reopened with restrictions after being closed, requiring chains and caution due to icy roads. However, the Pino Hachado crossing remains impassable due to heavy snow and ice, stranding over 1,500 trucks in Las Lajas, Zapala, and Cutral Có. National Gendarmerie is providing assistance to drivers. Meanwhile, some crossings in Río Negro, like Río Manso and Pérez Rosales, are open, while Vuriloche remains closed.