[IP] Reciprocal treatment for American travellers
Delivered-To: dfarber+@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 21:31:46 -0200
From: Wilson Roberto Afonso <wilson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Reciprocal treatment for American travellers
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Dave, for IP if you'd like...
Brazil has started to apply a policy of "reciprocal treatment" towards US
visitors entering the country. Now, just like it's the case in the USA
(with the US-VISIT) program, Americans (and only Americans) coming into
Brazil are fingerprinted and have their picture taken. This has caused
significant delays for arriving tourists, specially in Rio, with some
people having to wait for more than eight hours; this happens because,
unlike in the US, fingerprints in Brazil are taken using ink and paper, and
there's only one digital camera in the airport (one more was to be
installed today).
The Australian newspaper "The Age" talks about it at
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/06/1073268031785.html, mentioning
the official reaction of US authorities ("...we regret the way in which new
procedures have suddenly been put in place that single out US citizens for
exceptional treatment...").
TV coverage has shown some tourists leaving the airport very upset; in one
particular group, who had to wait for three hours in an isolated room,
without access to toilets or water, people complained of "feeling
sequestered" and being given no information. Other tourists were more
understanding, but all looked very tired. A few tourists missed connecting
flights due to the delays.
-Wilson
--
Wilson Roberto Afonso wilson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.netwhatever.com/weblog/random/
To know recursion, you must first know recursion.
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