The governor of the state of Táchira, Freddy Bernal, reported yesterday that the Venezuelan region is ready to open the trade border with Colombia.
“We have been ready for more than a year for the commercial opening (with Colombia),” said Bernal when being interviewed on Unión Radio.
The regional president stressed that the opening of the border with the neighboring country will boost the binational business.
“The opening of the border is going to open an innumerable range of businesses, it is going to promote tourism, transportation, it is going to create a series of businesses that will generate jobs on both sides of the border,” explained Bernal.
Likewise, it foresees “a trade balance between Colombia and Venezuela of about 7 billion dollars, the activation of more than 500 companies in San Antonio de Ureña, we expect a reactivation of some 3,000 direct jobs in the first months and a projection of up to 20,000 jobs,” he said.
Bernal reported that he had met with representatives of the commercial, customs and hotel sector of the neighboring country to specify actions and proceed with the total opening of the border, however, the outgoing president, Iván Duque, refused the proposal.
“From that work meeting came a schedule for the total opening of the border.
When they were going to proceed with the commercial opening, Duque refused, as long as President Nicolás Maduro was the president of Venezuela,” he said.
In this sense, Bernal announced that in the next few days a meeting will be held in San Cristóbal with representatives of the Venezuelan and Colombian chambers of commerce to specify details on the exchange of merchandise with the aim of strengthening trade with the neighboring country.
