Colombia and Venezuela study reopening of border closed since 2015

The Colombian and Venezuelan authorities met this Friday to assess the possibility of reopening the borders, unilaterally closed by Caracas since 2015.

As reported Freddy Bernal, the designated protector of the state of Táchira, “following the instructions of Nicolás Maduro, we received the delegation of the government of Norte de Santander”. On behalf of the Colombian side, the border secretary of the Norte de Santander department attended the meeting, Victor Bautista.

Bernal assured via a message on his Twitter account that it is “a first formal meeting between authorities to work on proposals for the gradual and controlled opening of the Colombian-Venezuelan border”.

The Venezuelan delegation also met “The spokespersons of the professional and industrial unions of Norte de Santander”.

“The Tachiren know firsthand the consequences of the criminal blockade. Together with the different sectors, we will move forward to achieve a progressive and beneficial opening “, considered Bernal.

Temporary humanitarian corridor

For the time being, the authorities have confirmed the opening of a temporary humanitarian corridor to allow the passage of Venezuelan students doing their university work in Norte de Santander, Colombia. It would open at 6 a.m. this Saturday, so 371 of these youngsters, institutions of Cúcuta and Villa del Rosario, can present the Saber tests.

According to initial information, this corridor will run over the Simón Bolívar International Bridge and serve as a pilot test for decide whether or not to open a permanent corridor so that approximately 4,500 students can complete their school year according to the attendance model which have been proposed by the ministries of health and education since July of this year.

In the words of Cúcuta Education Secretary Jessica Ramírez, “there are approximately 4,500 students who would gradually begin to move through the humanitarian corridor. A very good disposition was felt, we met and one of the results was to immediately create an education commission “, which would tend to continue the implementation of actions benefiting young people from both countries.

While everything seems to be going smoothly, there seem to be disagreements between the intentions of the Venezuelan national government and what the Táchira government is proposing. understand that the former seek to identify students who would cross the border by legal methods, while the latter seek complete openness without additional bureaucratic procedures.

“The regional government’s proposal is to complete the opening of the border and remove the containers, ID will not solve the problem, “said Arturo Molina, education director of Táchira, insisting that” enough to keep the border closed, to deny cross-border workers the possibility of making a living from formal trade and continue to generate a whole process of mafias ”.

In 2015, Maduro ordered the border closed with its neighbor Colombia, and since then the passage of migrants and between the two nations.

Another objective of the meeting held is to fight against crimes such as extortion and smuggling to which they are subjected. the citizens of this country trying to cross Colombia in search of a better future. These cross illegal paths which can become risky.

(With information from Europa Press)

Read on: