Colombian, Venezuelan Presidents To Meet At Border Opening On September 26 - Minister

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2022) The Colombian-Venezuelan land border will open on September 26 in the presence of Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, Colombian Transport Minister Guillermo Reyes said on Wednesday.

"On September 26, two presidents, Nicolas Maduro and our president Gustavo Petro, will hold a meeting, with the venue yet to be appointed. I am sure that it will be the Simon Bolivar bridge, where the border opening ceremony will take place," Reyes was quoted as saying by the La FM broadcaster.

The Simon Bolivar International Bridge connects the Venezuelan city of San Antonio del Tachira with Colombia's La Parada.

The minister also said that two transborder bridges will open in the Venezuelan cities of Cucuta and Urena.

Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with Colombia in February 2019, after Bogota recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido interim president following mass protests. After the election of Gustavo Petro as the first left-wing president of Colombia on June 20 this year, relations between the countries began to normalize. At the end of July, the foreign ministers of Venezuela and Colombia held a meeting.