Lynchings of youths set Colombia-Venezuela border ablaze again

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – “Venezuela is waiting for you, Colombia. Over political clumsiness, over government differences, the economy must prevail,” said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on October 6.

For his part, the Colombian head of state, Iván Duque, assured that the reopening would take place “as soon as possible”, following the Venezuelan announcement that transit would be resumed on that side (since, according to Colombian authorities, it had already been operating since June).

Although there was a glimmer of hope on the border for a few days, new events that occurred last weekend reminded us that reactivating the null relationship between both governments, radically opposed, will not be easy.

Last weekend, a minor (between 12 and 15 according to different sources and local media) and a young man (between 18 and 23 years old), both Venezuelan, were found dead in the troubled municipality of Tibú, Norte de Santander (east).

They had been accused of robbing a store. Civilians “captured” them and recorded videos with them while they were still alive. Later, according to local versions, armed men took them by force (although this version is under investigation). Their bodies were left at the exit of the municipality towards the nearby El Tarra, with a sign saying “Thieves”.

Colombian political sectors rejected the fact, and Colombia’s own Human Rights office called for “respect for the life” of the children.

All this took place in the geographical region known as Catatumbo, which is home to the most significant amount of coca crops in Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, and what this entails: illegal armed groups fighting for its control.

Dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, the active National Liberation Army (ELN), and other gangs dedicated to drug trafficking are involved in this border area with Venezuela.

DUQUE TO THE ICC

Despite the rejection generated by this double murder in Colombia, Venezuelan authorities did not hesitate to blame the Duque government. Maduro said he would take him to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for “persecution of Venezuelan migrants, promotion of hatred and forced disappearances”.

Meanwhile, Colombian Vice President, Marta Lucía Ramírez, responded that he had no “legitimacy” to blame his government “for what they are not capable of doing for their citizens”.

Colombia is home to some 1.7 million Venezuelans on its territory, and the two countries share a 2,200-kilometer border.

Tensions could flare up at any moment. However, the elections in both countries continue to press for the normalization of transit in the city of Cúcuta, the capital, precisely, of the department of Norte de Santander.

In Colombia, next year’s general elections will influence the attempt to recompose bilateral relations, according to one expert.

However, “the department never thought that the president was going to manage such a restrictive policy against Venezuela, and in that policy, he dragged the welfare of Norte de Santander”, he pointed out. The work of civil organizations will be critical to keeping the border open despite everything because “this is superior to both” governments, concluded Rodriguez.

Almost since the beginning of the government of Iván Duque, bilateral relations are practically null and void. Duque recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela in 2019, after his self-proclamation (a position Colombia maintains to this day), and Maduro expelled consular officials from Caracas.