At least 800 businessmen from the Colombian-Venezuelan border are affected by the national government’s decision not to include the state of Táchira in the Special Economic Zones, according to Isabel Castillo, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Production of San Antonio del Tachira.
The representative of the business union in the border area, specified that they were left speechless when Táchira was not included in this special regime from Caracas and even more so when the businessmen of the border participated in its design.
Castillo said that not only the 800 businessmen are affected, but all the sectors that would be activated with the special economic zone. He recalled that the border through the state of Táchira has the infrastructure, the bridges on the Venezuelan side and the Colombian side, and even has the Juan Vicente Gómez airport, located in the Bolívar municipality.
Isabel Castillo stressed to the government of Nicolás Maduro that the businessmen of the Táchira border were called to analyze the 14 articles of the law. She warned that it is necessary to make some modifications because, for example, the plastics sector is not included.
“We eagerly want to be involved once more in the Border Special Economic Zones, because it is ours due to our geographical location; and we have worked on it since 2014. It is a right that we businessmen have, that we earned because we have worked all this time for the opening and activation of the Border Special Economic Zones”, he said.
He considers it necessary that the national government give them an explanation regarding the reasons that motivated it not to include Táchira in this special regime and to explain how the businessmen of the Tachira border are left.
opening of the border
Isabel Castillo assured that on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, expectations continue to grow regarding the total opening of international bridges. This following August 8, when Gustavo Petro assumes the presidency of Colombia.
However, he said that since 2015, when the closure of the border was ordered, the businessmen and merchants of Táchira have maintained relations with their counterparts from the neighboring country and have signed some agreements with a view to returning the situation to normal.
He specified that businessmen aspire to the reestablishment of diplomatic activity, the opening of consulates, the activation of commercial transport, the mobilization through legal steps, the improvement of roads and public services and the reactivation in a short time of the international airport Juan Vincent Gomez.
Castillo stressed that with the closure of the border for 7 years, some 15,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs have been lost.
Bernal assures that Táchira has not been left out
Freddy Bernal, governor of the Andean entity, specified that Táchira has not been left out of the Special Economic Zones. He stressed that the border dynamics in San Antonio and Ureña is unstoppable, “neither Bogotá nor Caracas will stop it, it is something natural,” he said.
He pointed out that if any area is economically dynamic, it is San Antonio and Ureña with Norte de Santander. He assured that as soon as the border is opened, the opening of companies, businesses, reactivation of transport, generation of employment will begin and that will promote the conditions in the future for it to be declared a Special Economic Zone.
Bernal He emphasized that: “I am not disturbed in any way, because there is already a relationship between merchants and businessmen from Norte de Santander and Táchira, whose movement began and is unstoppable, it goes above any law or resolution. We tachirenses are eager for the opening of the border, as is the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and his counterpart in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro”, he specified.
Given the proximity of the date on which he will assume Petro power, said that multidisciplinary commissions from various areas will surely come. He affirmed that he has suggested to the central government that the opening be progressive and with strategies that involve biosecurity, adequacy of transport, mobility and controls in general, until it is regularized.
