Panama announced on Wednesday, May 19, the temporary closure of its border with Colombia, hours after the neighboring country reopened the land, river, and sea borders that it had been closed for more than a year due to the pandemic.

“The Republic of Panama expresses its concern regarding the decision of the Government of the Republic of Colombia, contained in the Resolution of the Ministry of the Interior 0667 of May 19, 2021, by which they determine the opening of maritime, land, and river crossings on the common border,” said a statement by the Panamanian Foreign Ministry.

 According to the Ministry, this measure puts at risk "the significant progress made by all Panamanians to control the Covi-19 pandemic, as well as border security and control of the migratory flow. It indicated that it has been determined to temporarily suspend the entry into the national territory, by land, sea and river, of all persons from Colombia, as of May 20, 2021.

The Colombian government opened the steps with Panama, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil "from zero hours (0500 GMT) on May 19, 2021,"

According to the  AFP agency, even with the virus circulating strongly, Colombia justified the reopening as a way to “advance in the measures that help the economic reactivation” of the border areas.