Border reopening between Colombia, Venezuela finalized

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Colombia and Venezuela on Sunday finalized the reopening of their borders after long years of a diplomatic quarrel that ended under the new leadership. 

The president of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro had previously announced on December 13, 2022, that the full opening of the border between Venezuela and Colombia would be completed on January 1, 2023.

The two countries were scheduled to reopen the Tienditas bridge which had been closed since Juan Guaidó's "humanitarian aid" stunt in February 2019.

⚡️ Venezuela y Colombia reabren de manera total su frontera con apertura del Puente Binacional 'Atanasio Girardot'. pic.twitter.com/SpcHGHc2zG

— El Gallo de la Catedral (@Huaira_Runa) January 1, 2023

The countries' shared 2,000-kilometer (1,200-mile) land border -- the scene of clashes between armed and criminal groups --  was closed in 2019 and reopened in October 2021 but to pedestrians only.

Under Colombia's conservative President, Ivan Duque, the South American neighbors severed diplomatic ties in 2019.

The border was partially closed seven years ago and completely blocked three years ago.

However, since Petro took over in August, Colombia's first left-wing president has worked to repair ties with Venezuela's populist leftist government.

On September 26, Venezuela and Colombia reopened their border to vehicles transporting goods through the border that had been open only to pedestrians. 

On November 7, mutual flights resumed between the two countries. 

👉 El pasado 13 de diciembre, el presidente de #Venezuela Nicolás Maduro informó que se completaría la apertura total de la frontera entre #Venezuela y #Colombia este 1 de enero de 2023. La medida concreta los acuerdos establecidos con su homólogo Gustavo Petro. pic.twitter.com/N64N30Xhms

— Voz de América (@VozdeAmerica) January 1, 2023

Read more: "We are brothers": Venezuela and Columbia restore diplomatic relations