The Minister of National Defense, Javier García, and the Minister of Tourism, Tabaré Viera, participated in the act in which the company Corporación América Airports took charge of the management of the international airport of the department of Rivera, Oscar Gestido. The works will begin in 2023, will require US$13 million and will contribute to increasing connectivity with the Federative Republic of Brazil.
The act was also attended by the Undersecretary of Defense, Rivera Elgue; the national director of Civil Aviation and Aeronautical Infrastructure (Dinacia), Gaetano Battagliese, and the mayor of Rivera, Richard Sander, among other national and departmental authorities. The directors of the América Airports Corporation, led by Martín Eurenkian, also participated.
During his speech, Javier García highlighted a few days ago that Rivera is the second terminal of the National System of International Airports that will be managed by the company that manages the airports of Carrasco and Punta del Este, after receiving, in 2021, the concession to direct and modernize the Rivera, Salto, Carmelo (Colonia), Durazno, Melo (Cerro Largo) and Paysandú terminals.
The initiative is part of the plan for the development and updating of the National Airport System, promoted by the Executive Branch to strengthen Uruguay’s connectivity with the region. To this end, the company will allocate the amount of US$67,000,000 in direct investment, operation and maintenance expenses.
The Secretary of State pointed out that the airport policy is built as a State policy. In this sense, he pointed out that in 2003, during the presidency of Jorge Batlle, work began on the new Carrasco airport; then, during the mandate of José Mujica, the concession terms of that terminal were extended and, later, in 2020, Tabaré Vázquez submitted to the Legislative Power the bill that established the National System of International Airports. The current administration, he recalled, promoted a regulatory decree in which the terminals that made up the system were included.
The hierarch praised the association between the State and the private company, and announced immediate consequences. Likewise, he assured that some US$13,000,000 will be invested in the riverense airport, which will mean the generation of 150 direct jobs. The intervention will also lay the foundations for an improvement in connectivity with the region, in particular with Brazil, domestic flights and a contribution to decentralization, he described.
For his part, the Minister of Tourism, Tabaré Viera, maintained, in a press conference before the media, that it was an important step and a strong investment to create the conditions for Rivera to attract airlines that increase the tourist flow with Brazil. “Air connectivity is a point that needs to be greatly improved in the country, and especially in the interior. Because today in the world, to bring more distant, regional and international tourism, the base is to have airlines. So that these airlines work and can sell, and have the attractiveness of the destination, but also the infrastructure. An important step was taken in Rivera, in what has to do with making effective the transfer of this terminal and this airport to a private company, which was awarded through a legal system”, said Viera.
The minister mentioned that, based on the investment, the objective is to leave the terminal in conditions at an international level and with all the services, and also improvements in terms of the track and in terms of security. “It is a strong commitment that the government makes, that this company when it makes the investment, will also be looking for what we need, that the airlines come and that they bring tourists to our borders,” added the hierarch.
The company reported, as published by the Presidential Communication portal, that the works will begin in the first quarter of 2023 and will include the modernization of the passenger terminal and building improvements in the control tower, as well as the installation of renewed communications equipment. aeronautics and an internal fiber optic ring. The main runway will be resurfaced and LED lights, taxiways and a platform will be installed, which will raise operational safety standards, in accordance with the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
