Venezuela and Colombia resolve challenges on their shared border

authorities of Venezuela and Colombia loaded this Friday, during the first Colombian-Venezuelan Binational Forumthe border challenges that both countries share in terms of security and economic development, among other things, was reported by the governor of the Venezuelan state of Táchira (west, bordering the Andean country), Freddy Bernal.

Through Instagram, he pointed out that during the meeting they also discussed topics related to tourism, health, education, science, technology and innovationfocused on the integration of both nations, which re-established diplomatic ties in August 2022, after a three-year break.

The meeting was held in the Venezuelan border town of San Antonio, in Táchira, whence Bernal He assured, according to a video posted on the Táchira governor’s account, that there are “no kidnappings, no extortion, no bombings” or “criminal groups” in the Caribbean country, after describing it as “almost ridiculous” that a Colombian businessman said he was “very afraid” of entering Venezuela.

However, the governor does not “have the slightest doubt” that “many businessmen” are from the “violent” Colombian department North of Santander “They will move” to “safe” Táchira, to create “quality of life, prosperity and growth,” he told state-run VTV.

He indicated that there are currently “69 open customs agencies22 border exchange offices” and “more than 20 active transport companies”.

For his part, he Colombian Ambassador to Venezuela, Milton Rengifo Hernández, confirmed that in “barely nine months” the trade exchange has reached “already figures of 700 million dollars” which “at the end of the four-year period” is expected to be “of the order of 2,500 (or) 3,000 million dollars”.

Caracas and Bogotá renewed diplomatic relations that were severed in 2019, after coming to power Gustavo Petroin August last year, a process that was advanced by the re-opening of the border in September and the reactivation of air links in November.

Both countries share a border of 2,219 kilometers, of which seven Colombian departments and four Venezuelan states.