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The Venezuelan government assured that, starting this Tuesday, it will reopen its border with Colombia. The problems between the two nations worsened in 2019, when Nicolás Maduro suspended the movement of people between the two neighboring countries. However, already in 2015, it had ordered the closure of the border to the passage of vehicles.
Venezuela confirmed that it will reopen its border with Colombia starting Tuesday. The news was announced by the vice president of the Caribbean country, Delcy Rodríguez, in a speech on state television.
“President Nicolás Maduro asked us to announce to the population of the state of Táchira, on the border with Colombia, that, starting tomorrow, we will be opening trade between our countries,” said Rodriguez
However, this Monday, the Venezuelan authorities proceeded to remove the fences and containers that blocked the border crossing with Colombia.
Therefore, the Venezuelan vice president added that the decision was made “thinking of our people, the brotherhood and cooperation between the peoples of Colombia and Venezuela.”
For his part, Colombian President Iván Duque, assured this Monday during a government act, that “Colombia is willing to begin an orderly process so that we can guarantee that border crossing.” And he added that “this is not going to be with ‘chambonadas ‘(errors produced by clumsiness) and it won’t be sudden. “
In addition, Duque affirmed that Maduro “was pressured to open the border due to democratic resistance.”
This decision is given 5 years after the start of the massive migration from Venezuela to Colombia. The figures became more acute with the arrival of Covid-19 in South America. However, it is also attributed to the institutional crisis in Venezuela, citizen insecurity and corruption. Colombia is the country with the most Venezuelan migrants in the world.
Border closure
On March 14, 2020, Colombia closed the seven border crossings established between the two South American countries. This, due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, last June the government of Iván Duque reversed the measure.
But Nicolás Maduro’s decision to suspend the movement of people between the two neighboring countries dates back to February 23, 2019. This, because Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader, tried to enter a caravan of humanitarian aid from the Colombian city of Cúcuta, under the support of Bogotá and Washington.
It should be noted that the Government of Colombia does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela, which is why he took the initiative as an attempt to be overthrown. In effect, he also proceeded to expel Colombian diplomatic personnel from his country.
However, diplomatic relations between the two governments broke down in August 2015, when the border between the two countries was closed to the passage of vehicles by order of the Venezuelan government.
Even so, hundreds of Venezuelan and Colombian citizens use the more than 200 trails in a 2,219-kilometer stretch to cross the border every day. And under that spectrum, there has been a high militarization by both nations and an increase in the crime rate.
Reuters, EFE and local media
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