On December 15, the Rumichaca bridge was reopened to transport goods up to a distance of 11 kilometers within Ecuador and Colombia.
CARTAGENA COLOMBIA). The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, announced this Friday (December 17, 2021) the total opening of the Rumichaca bridge, the main border crossing between Colombia and Ecuador, which was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and partially reopened on Wednesday, December 15.
This was expressed by the Colombian head of state at the beginning of the 10th Binational Cabinet that takes place in Cartagena de Indias, where, together with his counterpart from Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, will address issues such as border security, infrastructure, environment, and connectivity, among others.
«I also want to express (…) to all the people of the Ecuador this feeling of brotherhood that also materializes with the opening of borders for the movement of our people, the movement of our transport and to continue strengthening the economic reactivation by strengthening connectivity, “said the Colombian head of state.
According to the Chancellery, Duque «confirmed the immediate opening of the Rumichaca border crossing, for the entry and exit of vehicles of all modes of transport, as well as pedestrian flows, complying with all biosecurity measures and entry requirements established by the health authorities of both nations.
The bridge of Rumichaca communicates to the towns of Ipiales (Colombia) and Tulcán (Ecuador).
Last Wednesday (December 15) Ecuador and Colombia they reopened their Land border to the passage, up to 11 kilometers, of drivers of heavy trucks, in a measure to facilitate the transport of goods between the two countries.
Border normalization
For his part, Lasso ratified the “determination of Ecuador to open the border with Colombia, regularize the transit of people, merchandise from December 15th ».
That, said the Ecuadorian president, is one more step that the two countries are taking to normalize life for the inhabitants of the border 586 kilometers long, and in this way “generate opportunities and binational development in this area.”
Ecuador and Colombia closed their common border in March 2020 with the declaration of the state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, and in September of that year they opened it to the passage of goods through a special transshipment protocol.
On the other hand, Duque, expressed to Lasso on Friday his support for the fight against transnational crime and the reforms to the prison system of that country to achieve the re-socialization of the prisoners.
According to Duque, Ecuador has the “unrestricted endorsement of Colombia in matters of security and the fight against transnational crime. This line of work that we have been continuously perfecting and improving is maintained and maintained effectively.
The Colombian ruler further stated that Ecuador it also has the ‘backing of the Colombia to develop all the reform to the prison system »of that country.
According to Duque, the reform led by Lasso because he is “facing a problem that has aged poorly.”
In this regard, Lasso thanked Duque for his “willingness to cooperate in the repatriation of persons deprived of liberty in order to reduce the worrying overcrowding in the prisons of the Ecuador»That last month were the scene of bloody riots that left dozens of people dead. EFE
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