Authorities say current Colombia-Venezuela border situation will continue ‘fueling criminal organizations’

Simón Bolívar International Bridge between Colombia and Venezuela. Image courtesy of Natasha Pentin.

In January 2023, with the opening of the cross-border Tienditas bridge (now known as Atanasio Girardot), many national Colombian publications announced the full reopening of the border between Colombia and Venezuela. It supposedly marked the end of the seven-year border closure to cars and freight and started a direct connection between Norte de Santander, Colombia, and the state of Táchira, Venezuela. 

Natasha Pentin: Natasha Pentin is a writer and journalist living in Colombia. Her work has appeared in The Times, El Espectador, El Tiempo and more.