A failure in the computer systems of the 50 customs offices in the country caused the paralysis of international trade and kilometer-long lines in some of them.
According to authorities, the problem was centered on the Foreign Trade Tax Administration Model (MATCE), the main system for the modulation of the Operation Document for Customs Clearance (DODA).
In Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, in addition to the computer failure, there was also a blackout, which caused kilometer-long lines by truckers.
Although customs offices in other states resolved the implementation of modulation of shipments in contingency, in the border municipality it was not achieved because it is the only one used for the export and import of merchandise.
The customs office at the Port of Altamira was also affected, which brought long lines of cargo units.
The customs system in Nogales crashed and when the failure was registered, it caused enormous traffic congestion on the Federal Highway Mexico 15, on the border between Sonora and Arizona.
The line stretched for more than seven kilometers from the Mariposa tax gate, located on the International Line between Nogales, Sonora and Arizona.
Transporters in both directions of the customs office were stuck in long lines from south to north and from north to south of the customs office in Nogales.
The failure in the customs system is also affecting thousands of countrymen and Americans who travel back from Mexico to the United States, after having spent the December holidays in the national territory.
The National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) admitted the failure and requested the presentation of the simplified petition to guarantee the continuity of foreign trade operations.
The Colombian unit, Nuevo León, implemented contingency measures due to failures in the computer systems at the national level.
At 1:00 p.m. yesterday, the Veracruz Customs Office suspended its activities after the failures that are registered in the system.
The president of the Association of Customs Agents of Ciudad Juárez, Nora Elena Yu, said that these failures are not common, and that it had been a long time since an incident of this type had been recorded.
With information from Lourdes López, Aracely Garza and Carlos Coria
Source: excelsior
