Colombia and Venezuela experienced a historic start to 2023. After seven years, the vehicular passage between both countries is a reality. With the inauguration of the bridge that connects Colombia with the Venezuelan city of Ureña, which was attended by authorities from both countries, the opening of the entire border area was formally announced: Zulia, Táchira, Apure and Amazonas.
“May this opening be the path to a long reunion of growth and prosperity for both nations, especially for the border area,” said the governor of the state of Táchira, Freddy Bernal.
After the inaugural act, a hundred vehicles that arrived early in the morning traveled through the Bridge from Venezuela to Colombia.
“Today we come with the intention of passing, first because it is a historical fact, we as Venezuelans are extremely happy and happy because -finally- the authorities of both countries agreed to benefit the ordinary people,” he told the voice of america Jose Zambrano. “The first thing we are going to do is visit the center, buy a market, clothes, liquor. Doing all those laps fills us with joy”.
Guillermo Reyes, Minister of Transportation of Colombia, said: “We have established until January 9 so that vehicle owners can circulate without problem (…) Everything is part of a protocol that has been established by the national government, together with with municipal governments and Venezuelan authorities. But, to be clear, they can currently move freely between the two departments.”
In Photos | Opening of the Atanasio Girardot International Bridge on the Colombian-Venezuelan border
After seven years of closure, Colombia and Venezuela enabled a bridge on Sunday that seems key to the reactivation of bilateral trade relations.
For his part, Víctor Bautista, Secretary of Borders of the Government of Norte de Santander, invited the citizens of both countries to find out about the regulations through the “ABC Fronterizo” in order to move with peace of mind.
According to this document, Colombians who want to enter Venezuela must carry a driver’s license and a citizenship card or passport. The vehicle must be in optimal mechanical and safety conditions, with the identification plates of the country of origin, the Obligatory Traffic Accident Insurance (SOAT) and the vehicle papers in the name of the driver.
In the case of Venezuelan vehicles, they must prove the property title or public document of the Venezuelan authority that contains the data that identifies the motor vehicle proving ownership, SOAT or insurance policy, identification plates of the country of origin and being in optimal conditions. mechanical and safety conditions
For their part, drivers must carry a driver’s license with the authorized category for the vehicle they are driving, issued by the Venezuelan transport authority, as well as the passport of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Venezuelan identity card, Special Permit of Permanence (PEP), Temporary Protection Permit (PPT), Border Mobility Card (TMF) or other, as required by the immigration authority.
With this official and complete opening of the border, not only by land but also by river and air, the Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism calculates that this year 2023 “we could be around 800 million dollars, a very representative figure “.
“Next year we could reach, according to the expected recovery of the economy in the two countries, a trade between 1,700 million dollars to 1,800 million. And at the end of the government of President Gustavo Petro, we hope to reach a trade between 4,000 million of dollars and 5,000 million”.
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