The AGN Discovered That There Are No Joint Checks at Border Crossings with Chile
<p style="text-align: justify;">The agency reviewed the work of the Directorate of Customs and concluded that none of the audited boundaries put in place what is known as Integrated Control Areas established by a law of 12 years ago. At the crossing Cristo Redentor, the misallocation of physical space creates bottlenecks in the flow of passengers.</p>
The General Audit Office (AGN) analyzed the work of the General Directorate of Customs (DGA) in the divisions of Mendoza, Bariloche and Rio Gallegos and found that in any of the border crossings with Chile there is an integrated control.
In 1999, Law 25,229 approves a treaty with Chile on integrated border controls that establishes the principles governing the immigration, customs, health and transport control, which is known as Integrated Control Areas (ACI).
The auditors noted that, broadly speaking, "in any of the border crossings audited the implementation of the Integrated Control Area was observed". But emphasized that the Passage of Cristo Redentor (customs Mendoza) is the most advanced-putting about a pilot to control loads Uspallata-, insist that there are great difficulties in the integration of computer systems and infrastructure . In addition, the watchdog detected differences in criteria for the implementation of ACI in all its manifestations.
Mendoza
The customs passage of this province, called "Cristo Redentor", includes the Chilean side to Paso Libertadores and the Argentine side to Horcones and Punta de Vacas Uspallata.
In this area, the audit found inadequate distribution of physical space to delays in the movement of passengers and vehicles, malaise and operational collapse. They also indicated that luggage control a "significant bottleneck" is formed.
Together they noted that the registration of passing vehicles control by the officers is done only manually becoming an extremely vulnerable because, in the opinion of the auditors, can be eluded.
In any case, the AGN stands out as a positive point the existence of an integrated follow-up trucks in Punta de Vacas with alerts to mobile phones of the authorities of the office are transmitted, allowing them to be communicated consistently and act in real time.
Bariloche
The Integrated Control Area corresponds to the border post Paso Cardenal Samore. Here the Audit observed discrepancies between Argentina and Chilean foreign ministries on the control mode (the Argentina border control requests by country and oversee the neighboring country to install a single central header). At the time of the report, "there was no place in Chile where integrated control is practiced."
The report also adopted in 2011 on 2009 data, warns shortage of human resources for customs control, lack of electricity, gas and drinking water.
According to the administrator of the office of Bariloche, "no work is done jointly and coordinated, with Chile or in documentation and information and control criteria." On the issue, the Federal Public Revenue Administration (AFIP, for its acronym in Spanish), an entity to which the DGA, clarified that the progress on the areas of integrated control does not respond only to them, but "are subject to negotiations conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, and the competent bodies in the field of the Republic of Chile."
Río Gallegos
The AGN detected at this point "staff shortages" and an "infrastructure planning controls and uncoordinated with other agencies involved in the border crossing, such as Gendarmerie and National Animal Health Service (SENASA)".