I receive the email when I'm already in Colombia, at the Bogotá Book Fair. In a couple of days, I'm leaving for New York to attend the World Voices Festival, the city's international literary festival. PEN International, the event's organizer, is the sender. Attached is a document titled "Traveling to the United States." I open it in the hotel lobby. The header, in bold, says: "Please be aware that this information should not be construed as legal advice."

Christopher and Noël live in France but spent this Sunday morning in a shopping centre in La Jonquera buying tobacco, alcoholic drinks and some food. Since March 30 it is mandatory to show a negative PCR to cross the border. Only cross-border workers, hauliers and residents of towns within 30 km of the border were exempt. However, in practice, the truth is that French and Spanish residents can cross over without being checked. "We have been coming here for two weeks. They told us that you can cross even if you don't have a PCR [test result], because nobody checks it", explain the two friends.

The old border booths located between Portbou and Cervera had been useless for years, beyond bringing back memories of the past. However, with the arrival of covid-19 and the subsequent mobility restrictions, the old police buildings had to be dusted off in order to control everyone crossing the imaginary line. France established weeks ago that you had to show a negative PCR test result to enter the country and Spain announced a similar measure by surprise on Saturday which has come into force today. However, the new measure has not been noticeable in two of the main entry points by road: in La Jonquera, the National Police made some random checks during the morning, but in Portbou there was free way to go and return; neither on the Spanish nor on the French side were there any officers to control the passage of vehicles, motorcycles and people.