Thursday, August 13th 2026 - 06:55 UTC
The corridor was closed as a precaution on July 14 in anticipation of the forecasts
The Cristo Redentor international crossing, which links the Argentine province of Mendoza with Chile's Valparaíso Region through the Andes, has now been closed for close to a month because of a snow and wind storm, surpassing the winter closure record set in 2023. Authorities on both sides estimate it could reopen next week, depending on weather conditions.
The corridor was closed as a precaution on July 14 in anticipation of the forecasts. Snowfall extended between the settlements of Punta de Vacas and Las Cuevas, reached accumulations of up to four meters in some sections and affected 80 kilometers of Route 7, the largest such record in the area since 2008, according to the national roads agency. Winds blew at between 110 and 160 kilometers per hour, with zero visibility.
Official counts put the number of international freight trucks held at various points in Mendoza at around 1,550, although transport sector estimates raise the figure above 2,000. Drivers from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile are among those stranded. Each immobilized vehicle represents losses of close to 600 dollars a day, according to the sector's own calculations.
