Maduro ordered to reopen all border crossings with Colombia

Nicolás Maduro

ordered to completely reopen the border with

Colombia

107 days
after ordering its closure to prevent the pbadage of convoys of humanitarian aid requested by the president in charge,

Juan Guaidó

and the democratic Parliament.

"In the full exercise of our sovereignty, I have ordered the opening of border crossing points with Colombia in the state of Tachira as of this Saturday, June 8. We are a people of peace that firmly defends our independence and self-determination, "said the" son of Chávez ", the same day that the United Nations confirmed that the Venezuelan diaspora had already exceeded four million emigrants.

The decision taken by surprise tonight in Caracas puts an end to the controversial closure imposed a few hours before the concert.
Aid Live Venezuela in Cucuta. With the blockade of the main border bridges between the state of Táchira and northern Santander, Colombia, the Maduro government took the first step to block Guaidó's entry of humanitarian aid with its international allies.

Up to now, some points were kept open to the north and south, but on the main bridges of Ureña, San Antonio and Boca de Grita, only the pbadage was allowed in exceptional circumstances, which had led to the "construction" of small bridges improvised by the famous "trocha", clandestine marches where thousands of people are forced to pay daily tolls in Venezuelan bolivars or Colombian pesos. Venezuelan local and military mafias participated in this extortion, according to the denunciations of the National Assembly itself.

On the other hand, the borders of Zulia (Paraguachón), Amazonas (Casuarito) and Apure (Guasdualito) remained open during these almost four months. The border between Venezuela, Santa Elena del Guairén and Brazilian Paracaima was reopened last month, as a result of the efforts of both governments. Meanwhile, the maritime boundaries with Aruba remain closed to avoid migratory floods coming from Venezuela.

The opposite is the case with the government of Bogotá, frontally opposed to that of Caracas, without channels of open dialogue and without constant mutual accusations. For President Chavez, President Ivan Duque has become one of his main political enemies on the continent.

In Cúcuta, the most important Colombian city in the border region, the blockade was experienced as a real punishment, which in turn provoked an economic ordeal. Becoming the funnel of the Venezuelan tragedy, the northern capital of Santander has suffered a decline in trade, combined with the daily arrival of thousands of Venezuelans, who have overflowed a portion of their social services.

This border crosses most of the Venezuelan emigrants who continue to visit Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina. But it is also one of the main supply points, both for food and commodities, at lower prices than Venezuela itself.