In the process of reopening the border between Colombia and Venezuela, the announcement from Colombian President Gustavo Petro to resume air travel and cargo transport is one more step towards the full normalization of relations that were broken in 2019.

"On Sept. 26, we will open the border between Colombia and Venezuela. As a first step, the air connection and cargo transportation between our countries will be resumed," detailed Petro on Twitter at the same time Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the same.

The Colombian president highlighted that this step confirms "the government's commitment to reestablish brotherly relations" with Venezuela, a country with which it shares a 2,219-kilometer border.

"I am very happy to announce that as of #26Sep we will jointly open the borders between Venezuela and Colombia. In addition, we will resume flights between Caracas-Bogotá and Valencia-Bogotá. The exchange and cooperation between our peoples, restarts on the right foot," wrote Maduro.

Thanks to these new relations, the presidents answered the expectation created earlier in Petro's election campaign, where he promised the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

August 2022 marked seven years since the closure of the border to the passage of vehicles ordered by Maduro in 2015 due to political tensions with the government of former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

By Feb. 23, 2019, Colombia and Venezuela broke diplomatic relations when former Colombian President Iván Duque recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela.

First the ambassadors in both countries were appointed. Petro appointed former senator Armando Benedetti, while Maduro appointed former foreign minister Félix Plasencia. Both have already presented the respective credentials letters to the presidents.