Venezuela, Colombia Reopen Border To Vehicles Carrying Goods
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published September 27, 2022 | 09:10 AM
San Antonio del T�chira, Venezuela, Sept 27 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2022 ) :Venezuela and Colombia on Monday reopened their border to vehicles transporting goods following seven years of partial closure, including three years in which it was fully closed due to a political spat.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and representatives of the government of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro attended the ceremony.
The first truck left San Antonio del Tachira on the Venezuelan side of the border just after midday and crossed the Simon Bolivar bridge to Cucuta in Colombia.
"We are resuming relations and taking firm steps to advance in the total and absolute opening of the border between brother peoples," said Maduro on Twitter.
"It's a historic and transcendental day!" The South American neighbors broke off diplomatic relations in 2019 under Colombia's conservative president Ivan Duque.
But since Petro succeeded him in August, Colombia's first ever left-wing president has moved to mend relations with Venezuela's populist leftist government.
"It is very, very important for us to progress on the fundamental rights of the people. Families have been separated, there was a break in our relationships of respect and trust," Colombian lawmaker Jairo Cristo said during the ceremony.
This reopening is the first step toward the complete reestablishment of commercial relations between the two countries, which were worth around $7.2 billion in 2008.
"The closure (of the border) has done a lot of damage.
.. Let's see if from now on we can hear another song," said Jairo Sayago, a 55-year-old Colombian trader from San Antonio.
Asked about a possible meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart, Petro said that "there is no date" fixed for the moment.
"I hope that the mass migration that came from Venezuela to here... will now be able to be slowed down," he said, also calling for a "necessary integration of the economy of the two countries." "I want the first beneficiaries to be the people who live on both sides of the border," he added.
The neighbors share a 2,200-kilometer (1,350-mile) border infested with armed groups that have created insecurity by fighting over lucrative illegal trades such as drug trafficking and smuggling.
The two countries were due to resume flights between their capitals on Monday.
Caracas and Bogota formally reestablished diplomatic relations on August 29 by sending ambassadors to each other's capitals.
Venezuela had broken off diplomatic relations in 2019 after Duque expressed support for opposition leader Juan Guaido's attempts to oust Maduro.
Border crossing by vehicles carrying goods had been restricted since 2015 and were blocked entirely in 2019 as Guaido unsuccessfully tried to force through trucks carrying food and medicine from the United States.
Venezuela has suffered years of economic crisis that has seen poverty soar and millions of people leave the country, many to settle in Colombia.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Tennis: ATP Barcelona Open results - 1st update
Swiatek's perfect 10 in Stuttgart as Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka
Arandu's roads closed due to flooding
Oil tanker catches fire in Islamabad’s Blue Area
Pakistan committed to ensure safety of foreign nationals: FO
Tennis: WTA Stuttgart results - 1st update
Four passengers injured as train hit an empty vehicle
Over- speeding bus crushed to death two bike riders
Turkey's Freedom Flotilla ready to set sail for Gaza
French teen dies from heart failure after knife attack near school
Iranians appear unfazed by Isfahan blasts
UAF celebrates Int'l Chinese Language Day
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
22 hours ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
5 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
6 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
6 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
9 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
11 days ago
-
DC, DPO Haripur inspect bus terminals to review fares compliance
13 days ago -
Second phase of refugees’ repatriation to start after Eidul Fitr vacations
13 days ago -
Reaping bounties as Ramazan culminates
13 days ago -
Digital transformation – a boon or bane
13 days ago -
Plants’ business: Another casualty of climate change
15 days ago -
Eid shoppers prioritize children’s joy over personal comforts
15 days ago