People Cross the Simón Bolívar International Bridge at the Venezuela-Colombia Border. Photo: Telemedellín.
On Friday, October 7, the new director of Migración Colombia, Fernando García Manosalva, announced new measures to facilitate the mobility of Venezuelans throughout the Colombia-Venezuela border area.
“In considering the protection of migrants, we have decided that Venezuelans will be able to enter the country presenting any of the following documents: identity card, passport, or TMF [Border Mobility Card],” García announced during his visit to the Simón Bolívar International Bridge in the Colombian city of Cúcuta.
“Trabajaremos en la construcción de una Migración más humana. Una Migración que respete los Derechos Humanos y que garantice un trato digno para el migrante, independientemente de su nacionalidad”, afirmó el nuevo Director de @Migracioncol #FernandoGarcíaManosalva pic.twitter.com/o3GOV8wVPy
— Migración Colombia (@MigracionCol) October 7, 2022
He said that the measure is intended to protect the lives of Venezuelans who, not having a Border Migration Card, enter Colombia through illegal trails, risking their lives. “That is why we have decided that Venezuelan citizens may enter the country by presenting their identity card,” García explained.
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“We will work to build a more humane migration… that respects human rights and guarantees dignified treatment of migrants, irrespective of their nationality,” he added.
Humane migration
García Manosalva, during his tour of the border area in the Norte de Santander department, explained the new approach that the Colombian migration authority will have for the next four years.
“Our work is to guarantee the human rights of Colombians and Venezuelans at the border crossings,” said the new director of Migración Colombia. “We have to work to guarantee their access to health care, education and, especially, to treat vulnerable people with dignity.”
“In other words, we are talking about what we want Migración Colombia to be in these four years: a humane migration that guarantees a dignified border crossing and control. We are going to move forward in the regularization of cross-border mobility,” he added.
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Border for life
García Manosalva also announced that in the coming days, the government of President Gustavo Petro will call all stakeholders in the border area to work together in the creation of Roundtable on Border for Life, “a space to discuss problems and possible solutions.”
“Las Mesas de Frontera para la Vida, servirán de insumos para la construcción del Plan de Desarrollo Nacional”, indicó el nuevo Director de @Migracioncol #FernandoGarcíaManosalva pic.twitter.com/4ijHpiNJw9
— Migración Colombia (@MigracionCol) October 7, 2022
On September 26, Colombia and Venezuela reopened their border after seven years of closure to vehicular crossing.
(ÚltImas Noticias) by Erika Hernández
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/EF
