Caracas, July 20 (EFE). – The government of Venezuela this Thursday congratulated Colombia on the 213th anniversary of its independence, which was proclaimed in 1810, and called for a further “strengthening of the union” between the two nations.
“Congratulations, Colombian people! Celebrating Colombia’s independence also means celebrating our independence. Let us continue to strengthen the union in favor of common peace and in honor of the memory of our Eternal Father, the Liberator Simón Bolívar,” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro wrote on his blog Twitter account.
For his part, Foreign Minister Yván Gil reiterated on the same social network that Venezuela is honored “to continue to share paths and dreams for peace with the coffee nation”.
“We congratulate our fellow Colombian people on the celebrations of the 213th anniversary of independence and national sovereignty. We are countries with a shared history born of the same struggles,” Gil said.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry also recalled on Twitter that July 20 marks the 213th anniversary of a “historic emancipation process that opened avenues for libertarian struggles against colonialism and ended the era of abuse established by the Spanish Empire.”
Colombia and Venezuela share a 2,219-kilometer border that includes seven Colombian departments and four Venezuelan states.
The seven border crossings between the two countries have been closed to people and trade since Maduro ordered the severing of diplomatic relations in February 2019, after opposition leader Juan Guaidó attempted to enter his country with a humanitarian caravan through the border crossing. From Cucuta.
The two countries resumed diplomatic ties last August after Gustavo Petro took over the Colombian presidency. This process has progressed with the reopening of the border in September and the reactivation of the flight service in November.