Sources in the Domestic Trade Secretariat told the Cámara del Libro organization that all foreign-made publications will soon be cleared to enter the country once more.
According to news site ámbito.com, public officials working in Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno’s department assured that the blockade on foreign books and magazines was the result of “misinterpreting” a regulation that limited the entrance of books containing a certain amount of lead in their ink.
According to government officials, the delivery of all books purchased abroad via mail will go back to normal in the coming weeks.
Regulation 26/12 establishes that before any sale, the book’s ink has to be certified as containing less than 0.06 percent lead.
Sources also said the regulation will go in effect in June.
The Argentine Book Chamber held several talks with Secretariat officials in the last few days after some of its members had been unable to have their medicine and science books delivered to their homes.
Even though these sources said that their conversations were always “in good terms,” when asked about the nature of the delays, they simply replied: “Moreno doesn’t give explanations to anyone.”
The ban on all books purchased abroad caused outrage among editorial organizations and people used to shopping online in popular sites such as Amazon.com.
Angry buyers took to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter in order to condemn the measure while urging the Government to “release the books.”
buenosairesherald.com