Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro spoke to Venezuela’s government about reopening the border between the countries, likely heralding the end of a long diplomatic impasse and the reactivation of trade.
By Yahoo Finance – Patricia Laya
Jun 22, 2022
Petro, who will be sworn in Aug. 7, said he plans to “restore the full exercise of human rights on the border.”
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro congratulated Petro and reaffirmed his willingness to “re-establish normalcy” at the border in a phone call with the newly-elected leader earlier today.
US President Joe Biden also congratulated Petro on his victory this week, reaffirmed his support for Colombia and said he welcomes the chance to discuss security and counter-narcotics.
Colombia’s current President Iván Duque has an acrimonious relationship with Maduro. The two have never held an official meeting and regularly exchanged barbs on social media and television broadcasts.
The 2,200-kilometer (1,380-mile) border used to be of great importance for both economies. Venezuela was Colombia’s biggest trading partner after the US, and largest export market for its manufacturing and agricultural goods.
There was a partial re-opening of trade in October. Last year Colombia exported just $331 million of goods to Venezuela, down from $6.1 billion in 2008. Nearly two million Venezuelans have fled to Colombia in recent years to escape economic hardship at home.
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Read More: Yahoo Finance – Petro Upends Colombia Diplomacy by Reaching out to Venezuela
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