Venezuela and Colombia on Thursday agreed to the gradual reopening of their border, one year after the Venezuelan government closed crossings to crack down on smuggling.
The announcement came after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos met in the Venezuelan city of Puerto Ordaz.
The two leaders agreed to begin the process starting today. Officials are scheduled to open five border checkpoints for pedestrians from 6am to 9pm each day.
The weekend is sure to see a crush of Venezuelans flooding into Colombia to buy food and medicine.
Venezuelans have been desperate to cross into Colombia to buy basics as shortages worsen in their economically struggling country, an OPEC member that has been hit hard by the fall in oil prices. Some people in the towns on the Venezuelan side of the border have died after being refused permission to cross to better-stocked Colombian hospitals.
Hundreds of Venezuelans stormed a border checkpoint in July and illegally crossed into Colombia for the day to go grocery shopping.
In the weeks following that incident, Venezuela temporarily opened the border for short periods to allow people to buy food and medicine. More than 100,000 Venezuelans crossed into Colombia during a temporary weekend border opening last month. Many had driven in caravans through the night for a chance at snagging precious goods.
Venezuela’s government closed all crossings a year ago to try to stem smuggling along the 2,219km border.
Officials alleged that speculators were causing shortages in Venezuela by buying up subsidized food and gasoline and taking them to Colombia, where they could be sold for far higher prices.
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