Venezuela, Colombia to keep pedestrian border crossing closed

Venezuelan and Colombian authorities announced Tuesday that the pedestrian border crossing between the two South American countries will remain closed over the next few weeks.

For two consecutive weekends, at least 130,000 Venezuelans crossed the border, mainly from the towns of Urena and San Antonio de Tachirafor, since Venezuela authorized the pedestrian border crossing with Colombia to be opened at the Simon Bolivar Bridge, according to the Colombian government.

The decision taken by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government to reopen the pedestrian crossing this month came about after a group of at least 500 women tried to break a military cordon in order to cross to the Colombian city of Cucuta on July 5.

Due to the current phenomenon of hoarding and profiteering among a certain sector of the Venezuelan public coupled with shortages, most people crossed to Colombia to buy the products that are scarce in Venezuela.

Venezuela first temporarily closed its border with Colombia in August of 2015 after three members of the armed forces were shot and injured while patrolling the area against smugglers.

During Tuesday's meeting, Victor Bautista, adviser to Colombia's foreign ministry for border issues, and Juan Carlos Dugarte, Venezuela's national director for the Identification, Migration and Foreigners Administrative Service, agreed to hold upcoming meetings with migration agents from both countries with aim of achieving a modern border.

Moreover, it is predicted that Colombian and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin and Delcy Rodriguez are to meet and discuss the reopening of the border on Aug. 4. Endi