The legacy of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda risks being one of the casualties of the pandemic. As the tourism and culture sectors struggle to recover from the impact of pandemic restrictions, the foundation that manages the museums celebrating the 1971 Nobel Prize laureate has run into financial difficulties and recently issued a plea for help to keep Neruda’s legacy alive.
Chile had a comparatively controlled coronavirus outbreak, particularly when held up against the situation in regional neighbors Peru and Brazil, which suffered from some of the world’s highest mortality rates.
As part of its efforts to contain the health crisis, the Chilean government-imposed rigid border restrictions, including requirements for a negative RT-PCR test, proof of vaccination, and even daily self-reports on symptoms in a mobile app.
This contributed to a sharp decline in tourist arrivals, forcing the museums celebrating Neruda to close. According to official data, international tourism to Chile fell 75 percent in 2020, meaning almost 3.4 million fewer tourists visited the country than in 2019 – a significant hit...
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