Venezuelan prez Nicolas Maduro says border with Colombia to reopen Sep 26

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the joint reopening on September 26 of the border between his country and neighbouring Colombia.

"I am very happy to announce that as of #26Sep we will jointly open the borders between Venezuela and Colombia," Maduro posted on Twitter on Friday.

Flights from the capital Caracas and the northern city of Valencia to Colombia's capital Bogota will also resume, he added.

"The exchange and cooperation between our peoples are getting off to a good start," said Maduro, who on Thursday received Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Dario Umana Mendoza at the government headquarters.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Friday also confirmed the reopening of the border, noting that "as a first step, the air connection and cargo transport between our countries will be resumed".

Colombia's ambassador in Caracas, Armando Benedetti, said restoring diplomatic ties with Venezuela entailed "reviewing the infrastructure of bridges and roads", adding it is necessary to "reactivate trade" and exchange in other areas.

"Starting from scratch," said Benedetti.

Since Petro took office in Colombia, Caracas and Bogota have progressively advanced in normalizing ties severed in 2019 by his predecessor Ivan Duque.

--IANS

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