U.S. Sees Y2K Disruption Potential In Latin America

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U.S. Sees Y2K Disruption Potential In Latin America

Updated 8:11 PM ET September 14, 1999

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States warned U.S. travelers Tuesday that they could face potential disruptions in public and financial services in some Latin American nations due to the Year 2000 computer glitch.

Updating its travel advisories for 196 countries, the State Department said the risk of Y2K problems was "low" in Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Costa Rica.

But in Brazil, the region's largest nation, some disruptions, albeit isolated, could hit automated electricity, health and communications systems on or about Jan. 1.

Oil producer Venezuela is "somewhat" prepared for the Y2K bug but faces a "moderate" risk of power cuts, the State Department said.

Ecuador is not heavily reliant on computers, but work to make the country Y2K compliant has not been completed, leaving room for potential disruptions in communications and utilities.

In Bolivia, which is hardly automated, U.S. travelers should be ready to expect potential problems with automatic teller machines, as well as credit card or flight reservation systems.

The so-called Y2K glitch could prevent some computers from distinguishing 2000 from 1900 because older computers recorded the year with two digits only. Unless fixed, this could disrupt services from airlines to health care to telephones.

Peru and Mexico are the most prepared in the region, but could still face trouble in some areas, such as the highly automated Mexican communications sector, the State Department said.

The State Department said it expected no problems in Argentina, Costa Rica or Colombia, though traffic control systems may go on the blink in major Colombian cities.

As for Cuba, there may be disruptions in power, telephone and banking services, the State Department said. But then again, services on the communist-run island are not reliable and Cubans are accustomed to doing without them, the department said.

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Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), September 14, 1999


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