President of the Energy and Petroleum Commission of the National Assembly Ángel Rodríguez. Sep. 21, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/@BNNVenezuela

Caracas, September 22 (RHC)-- Ángel Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan Energy and Petroleum Commission of the National Assembly, said human beings need to be the epicenter of the new stage in the relations of both countries.   He pointed to the opening of commercial activities, crossings, and cargo flow through the Colombian-Venezuelan border beginning next Monday, September 26th.

In comments to Sputnik news agency, the Venezuelan deputy said: "From the political point of view, from the social point of view, from the economic point of view, from the point of view of the quality of life of Venezuelans and Colombians," such opening "will bear very important fruits due to the potentialities that arise from that border." 

Rodriguez also said: "Today, with the Petro Government and the Maduro Governments, it is feasible to go beyond the economic relationship and put in that relationship, in that new openness the human being as the epicenter in this whole process that can be generated in the Colombian-Venezuelan border."

Colombia and Venezuela are closer to the reopening of their border.  Officials from Bogotá and Caracas reported the plan to reopen the border that has more than 2,200 kilometers in common.

The mechanisms to formalize bilateral relations and diplomatic representations in both countries have been jointly addressed by Nicolás Maduro and Gustavo Petro since the latter assumed the presidency of Colombia.  According to the Venezuelan president, commercial exchange between the two countries is expected to reach 2 billion dollars this year following the border opening.   

In 2019, Venezuela broke diplomatic relations with Colombia over an attempted invasion by the opposition led by politician Juan Guaidó trying to enter through the border with alleged humanitarian aid.