Opening of the Colombian borders

With the arrival of a new administration in Colombia, that of Gustavo Petro, it is expected that a progressive and safe reopening process will begin to resume issues ranging from the air connection, through the activation of land cargo transport to commercial and diplomatic relations. .

President Petro has insisted that resolving this is restoring “brotherly relations” between the two countries. Colombia and Venezuela broke diplomatic relations in 2019 and resumed them in August 2022 with the start of the Petro government.

What is expected from now on is that cargo transport and direct flights between the two countries will gradually begin to operate. But this is going to take some time. It is not expected to see the normal operation of the borders as it was before the crisis, according to the Colombian transport minister, Germán Reyes.

“We are in a process of gradual implementation,” Reyes told reporters in Caracas early last week.

Two of the three international bridges that link the two countries are expected to open to reactivate binational trade: the Simón Bolívar International Bridge and the Francisco de Paula Santander International Bridge.

The authorities of both countries agreed that in a period of approximately two months the third crossing point would be enabled: the Tienditas Bridge, through which they hope to order the flow of truck loads. Later, it is estimated that the public transport system and the exchange and crossing of private vehicles between the border cities will be launched, Reuters reported, citing Víctor Bautista, border secretary of the government of the department of Norte de Santander.

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