Overview
- The Paso Cristo Redentor was reopened on Thursday after Argentine and Chilean road crews cleared roughly 20–30 cm of snow in the Portillo sector to restore vehicle passage.
- More than 700 cargo trucks remained staged on the Argentine side in Uspallata and other playones while authorities worked through the backlog and set controlled operating hours for the crossing.
- Crews from Vialidad Nacional and their Chilean counterparts coordinated overnight snow removal and carried out joint transitability assessments before declaring the pass fit for traffic.
- Forecasters warned of an intense post-storm cold air mass with high-mountain temperatures near −18°C to −22°C, a condition that raises safety risks and could force new closures or limited hours.
- Transport representatives said the weather shock compounds a months-long downturn in cross-border freight and tourism, with carriers reporting volume drops near 40% and police considering temporary limits on truck entry to Mendoza.