A border crossing between Venezuela and Colombia. Photo: Juan Pablo Cohen/La Opinión.
Since President Gustavo Petro won the election in Colombia, the possibility opened for Colombia and Venezuela to resume binational relations, suspended since the presidential term of Iván Duque.
Among the main issues on Petro’s agenda to restore diplomatic relations was the return of the Monómeros petrochemical company to Venezuela. The fertilizer production company was hijacked by the Guaidó clan under Duque’s protection. Another of Petro’s promises was the reopening of the border, which during Duque’s time had become the gateway for imperialist attacks against Venezuela.
These points were sensitive for both countries. Monómeros has just been returned to Venezuela. The reopening of the over 2,000 kilometer-long border is the next step. At the beginning of September, it was announced that the reopening will take place on September 26.
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In August, President Nicolás Maduro proposed creating a binational Special Economic Zone (SEZ) encompassing the border states of Venezuela and Colombia in a trial run. At first, there was talk of $2 billion in binational trade, while the Colombian ambassador in Caracas, Armando Benedetti, predicted that trade could reach $10 billion.
Beyond diplomacy, both countries have great economic interests as a result of commercial exchange, including energy. Thus the border reopening comes as a defeat for those who discarded the cooperative agenda under Washington’s directions.
According to Colombian media, the Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander international bridges will be enabled for cargo transportation starting from September 26. The Simón Bolívar bridge connects the town of Villa del Rosario, in the metropolitan area of Cúcuta, Colombia, with San Antonio of Táchira state of Venezuela. The Francisco de Paula Santander bridge joins Cúcuta with Venezuela’s Ureña.
The presence of the presidents of both countries is not yet fully confirmed. What is confirmed is that the border crossing that was closed for seven years will open on Monday at 10 a.m.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/EF/SC
Misión Verdad
Misión Verdad is a Venezuelan investigative journalism website with a socialist perspective in defense of the Bolivarian Revolution
