Authorities in Argentina and Paraguay announced, on 30 October 2025, an immediate reinforcement of police and immigration controls along their land borders with Brazil. The move follows the massive “Operação Contenção” conducted earlier this week by Rio de Janeiro’s Civil and Military Police, which left more than 120 people dead and 113 suspects in custody. Both neighbouring governments fear that fugitives linked to the Comando Vermelho crime syndicate will attempt to escape into their territory.
Under the measures, Argentina’s security minister Patricia Bullrich ordered additional federal troops, mobile biometric posts and drone surveillance to the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes. Paraguay’s National Defence Council activated “extraordinary migration screening”, doubling the number of officers at the Friendship Bridge in Ciudad del Este and at secondary crossings in Mato Grosso do Sul. Joint patrols under the existing Trilateral Border Command with Brazil were also intensified.
For legitimate travellers, the most immediate impact is longer queues and more rigorous document checks. Commercial truck traffic at the Tancredo Neves International Bridge reported wait times of up to three hours on Thursday afternoon, while long-distance bus companies between Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguazú warned passengers to arrive earlier. Airlines operating the “triangle” route São Paulo–Asunción–Buenos Aires said they were monitoring potential knock-on delays for connecting crews.
Business travel managers should advise employees to carry original passports, proof of onward travel and, where applicable, Mercosur national ID cards, as spot-checks on luggage and personal electronics are being conducted. Companies that rely on just-in-time road freight between Brazil’s South and the Port of Buenos Aires may need to build in buffer time or consider multimodal alternatives until the alert level is downgraded.
Diplomatic sources in Brasília stressed that the beefed-up controls are temporary and do not amount to a reinstatement of visas within Mercosur. However, the episode underlines how public-security crises can spill over into mobility frictions—even inside otherwise open regional arrangements. Cross-functional coordination between security and immigration teams will be critical over the coming days.
Under the measures, Argentina’s security minister Patricia Bullrich ordered additional federal troops, mobile biometric posts and drone surveillance to the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes. Paraguay’s National Defence Council activated “extraordinary migration screening”, doubling the number of officers at the Friendship Bridge in Ciudad del Este and at secondary crossings in Mato Grosso do Sul. Joint patrols under the existing Trilateral Border Command with Brazil were also intensified.
For legitimate travellers, the most immediate impact is longer queues and more rigorous document checks. Commercial truck traffic at the Tancredo Neves International Bridge reported wait times of up to three hours on Thursday afternoon, while long-distance bus companies between Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguazú warned passengers to arrive earlier. Airlines operating the “triangle” route São Paulo–Asunción–Buenos Aires said they were monitoring potential knock-on delays for connecting crews.
Business travel managers should advise employees to carry original passports, proof of onward travel and, where applicable, Mercosur national ID cards, as spot-checks on luggage and personal electronics are being conducted. Companies that rely on just-in-time road freight between Brazil’s South and the Port of Buenos Aires may need to build in buffer time or consider multimodal alternatives until the alert level is downgraded.
Diplomatic sources in Brasília stressed that the beefed-up controls are temporary and do not amount to a reinstatement of visas within Mercosur. However, the episode underlines how public-security crises can spill over into mobility frictions—even inside otherwise open regional arrangements. Cross-functional coordination between security and immigration teams will be critical over the coming days.
