Venezuela and Colombia are fully reopening their borders

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“We are fully reopening the borders of our countries in order to guarantee the freedom of movement of goods and passengers, to promote trade and tourism,” said Colombian Transport Minister Guillermo Reyes Gonzalez.

Venezuelan and Colombian authorities are fully reopening their borders today, allowing people and goods to pass through the Tienditas Bridge, Colombia’s immigration agency announced yesterday.

Already in September, the two Latin American countries partially opened the border, in particular the crossing in the state of Tachira (western Venezuela), after the restoration of bilateral diplomatic relations by the decision of Gustavo Petros, the first president who belongs to the left in the history of Colombia.

Mr Petro and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, swapped ambassadors after three years of severing diplomatic relations.

Authorities in Bogotá explained in September that the full opening of the 2,200km border would be phased in.

The Venezuelan authorities inspected the Tienditas bridge a few days ago.

“We are fully reopening the borders of our countries in order to guarantee the freedom of movement of goods and passengers, to promote trade and tourism,” said Colombian Transport Minister Guillermo Reyes Gonzalez, clarifying that travel between the two countries can now be done by air , land or via rivers.

Flights from Caracas to Bogotá and vice versa resumed in November.

Bilateral trade is worth about $580 million today, according to official data from Colombian authorities. The Colombian-Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce, however, predicted that they could rise from 800 million to 1.2 billion dollars in 2022.

Caracas severed diplomatic ties with Bogotá in February 2019 after Colombia’s right-wing then-President Ivan Duque decided not to recognize the re-election of his socialist counterpart Nicolas Maduro, but to back self-proclaimed transitional opposition leader Juan Guaido. chairman.

RES-EMP

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