Colombia, Venezuela Reopen Border After Seven Years

The border between Colombia and Venezuela officially reopened this Monday. The two countries had closed their borders seven years ago.

The symbolic act was attended by Colombian President Gustavo Petro and took place on the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, the main thoroughfare between the two countries where thousands of people would cross over to the other country on foot each day prior to the border closure.

A historical event

President Petro affirmed that Monday’s events were historic. Furthermore, he said that “globalization is first and foremost a relationship between neighbors. Anyone who measures the flows of international trade, culture, and population will always find that most of it is between neighbors. So it was before sectarian madness took over hearts and brains. So it was between Colombia and Venezuela, between Colombia and Ecuador.”

The President accompanied the first Colombian truck to transit to Venezuela and pointed out the economic opportunities that arise with this reopening.

“This is a symbol of unity, [and] it should never be closed. Globalization, above all, is trade and unity between neighbors. It was a suicide that should not be repeated,” Petro assured while crossing the Simón Bolívar International Bridge.

For his part, President Nicolás Maduro also celebrated the reopening of the border area with an announcement through his Twitter account.

La reapertura de la frontera entre Colombia y Venezuela es indudablemente un hecho histórico, que marca el comienzo de una etapa de relaciones de hermandad, respeto y Paz. Somos pueblos unidos por el lazo inquebrantable del Bolivarianismo. pic.twitter.com/eRkR4IgdXd

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) September 26, 2022

“The reopening of the border between Colombia and Venezuela is undoubtedly a historic event, which marks the beginning of a stage of relations of brotherhood, respect and peace,” the Venezuelan President wrote. “We are peoples united by the unbreakable bond of Bolivarianism.”

Trade between Colombia and Venezuela is not long in coming

The reopening of the border between Colombia and Venezuela marks the beginning of a new stage in the relations between both countries, as they have reactivated commercial trade with each other.

Pedestrians can now cross the bridge from five in the morning until eight in the evening. With this reopening, both countries hope that illegal crossings will ultimately end.