Bolivia closed its borders with Brazil, starting on Friday. Restrictions will be effective for 7 seven days. The government wants to protect its population from the coronavirus variant that has been causing a COVID-19 surge in Brazil.

“As part of the measures to protect the population, we instruct the temporary closure of borders with Brazil for 7 days,” tweeted Bolivia’s President Luis Arce.

He also stated that people identified to carry the new COVID-19 strain will be coordinated with the corresponding Autonomous Territorial Entities for their quarantine, establishing controls for the spread mitigation, as required.