Caracas, June 8: Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has on Saturday announced his plans to reopen the nation’s border with Colombia.
In a tweet, the president wrote, “In full exercise of our sovereignty, I have ordered the opening of the border crossing with Colombia in the state of Tachira, staring this Saturday #8Jun. We are a peaceful people who firmly defend our independence and self-determination.”
En ejercicio pleno de nuestra soberanía, he ordenado la apertura de los pasos fronterizos con Colombia en el Estado Táchira, a partir de este sábado #8Jun. Somos un pueblo de paz que defiende firmemente nuestra independencia y autodeterminación.
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 7, 2019
Venezuela’s announcement came a few months after the president severed diplomatic ties with neighbour Colombia, including other nations. Maduro had shut its nation’s border with Colombia in February, prompting opposition leader Juan Guaido to self-recognize as the legitimate interim president of the nation to allow humanitarian aid convoys into crisis-hit Venezuela.
Maduro repeatedly dismissed reports that Venezuela is facing a humanitarian crisis and claimed United States President Donald Trump has attempted to orchestrate a coup.
Last month, Venezuela’s border with Aruba and Brazil were re-opened to “restore economic, social, political and cultural life”, Tareck El Aissami, the Venezuelan vice president, was quoted in a televised speech as saying, according to ANI news reports.
On Friday, Guaido acknowledged the divisions within the oppositional alliance, stating differences needs to be worked out gradually, as “we are all united in one cause”.
In an event in Valencia, the opposition leaders said, “Yes there have been differences and of course we are having them now.”