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Chile-Argentina Cristo Redentor Pass Closed for Over 20 Days Amid Historic Snow
Intense snowfall in the Andes has kept the Cristo Redentor (Los Libertadores) Pass closed for more than three weeks, halting the main road link between Chile and Argentina. Around 700 trucks are stranded on the Argentine side, and each immobilised vehicle is estimated to cost roughly $600 per day in operating losses.
The disruption has driven up food prices in Mendoza, with fruits and vegetables rising 30‑40 %. Merchants report that bananas, kiwis, avocados, tomatoes and other produce are now significantly more expensive for consumers.
Chile and Argentina are discussing a binational plan to avoid future closures. Chile announced a roughly $90 million investment to upgrade the Pehuenche Pass as a permanent alternative, while the postponed Agua Negra tunnel project may need private Chinese financing. Argentine Governor Pedro Pablo Álvarez‑Salamanca also urged the government to formalise Pehuenche as a reliable corridor.
Long‑term proposals include the Las Leñas low‑altitude tunnel, promoted as a year‑round solution to the recurring weather‑related shutdowns. Meanwhile, tourism operators in Chile’s Elqui Valley stress that a 15‑minute detour keeps the valley accessible despite the pass closure.
Entities
Agua Negra Tunnel · Chilean Ministry of the Interior · Cristo Redentor Pass · Jairo Gomes · Pedro Pablo Álvarez‑Salamanca · Pehuenche Pass · Sergio Zalazar
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Agua Negra tunnel project may require private Chinese investment. ciudadano.news
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Tourism operators in the Elqui Valley say a 15‑minute detour keeps the valley accessible despite the pass closure. www.miradiols.cl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Las Leñas tunnel project is being promoted as a low‑altitude, year‑round alternative to current passes. diariosanrafael.com.ar
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Governor Pedro Pablo Álvarez‑Salamanca called for making the Pehuenche Pass a permanent alternative. elmauleinforma.cl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Fruit and vegetable prices in Mendoza have risen between 30% and 40% because of the closure. newsonline.com.ar
- [DISPUTED] Approximately 700 trucks have been stranded on the Argentine side of the pass. ederluiz.com.vc
- [DISPUTED] The Cristo Redentor Pass has been closed for more than 20 days due to historic snowfall. ciudadano.news · ederluiz.com.vc · www.elsol.com.ar
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Chile plans to invest about $90 million to upgrade the Pehuenche Pass as an alternative route. ciudadano.news