During a meeting held between the representatives of the customs and international trade logistics agencies of Táchira State (Venezuela) and Norte de Santander (Colombia), which took place this Tuesday in San Antonio del Táchira, they discussed the important challenges they face in the event of the long-awaited commercial opening of the border between Venezuela and Colombia, particularly the issue of large-scale smuggling that takes place through illegal trails between the two regions.
By La Patilla
Jul 27, 2022
Mr. Álvaro Rodríguez, representative of the “Cámara Social de Transporte de Carga del Táchira” (Casotranscat, Táchira Social Cargo Transport Chamber ), explained that between 250 and 300 heavy-duty vehicles with contraband goods cross this border area daily. These vehicles do not have authorizations on either the Colombian side or the Venezuelan side.
Ms. Sandra Guzmán, President of the “Federación Colombiana de Agentes Aduaneros Logísticas en Comercio Internacional” (FITAC, Colombian Federation of Logistics Customs Agents in International Trade), stressed that the activation of bi-national trade through this border area must be done under the same conditions as in Paraguachón (Zulia State), given that it is necessary that payments for merchandise are legally enabled as they are in “La Guajira” area, because the same countries are involved.
Ms. Guzmán stated that it is important to lose the fear of opening customs operations and fighting the contraband that has been passing through the trails.
“We are not afraid to start operations in Cúcuta. We are afraid of returning to legal operations over the bridges and not stopping the transit through the (illegal) trails, which is the economic activity that is currently ruling the border of Norte del Santander and Táchira State,” stated Sandra Guzmán during her intervention.
She highlighted that there are commercial agreements between Colombia and Venezuela that allow all air, sea and land operations with Venezuela, which does not exclude the Norte de Santander Department.
Mr. Henry Sarmiento, Director of the Cúcuta Free Trade Zone, pointed out that the concern that exists is the level of smuggling that is passing through thanks to the “protectorate”, which is considered as contraband that is “legalized” on the Venezuelan side.
It is worth mentioning that while Freddy Bernal, current Governor of Táchira, served as the “protector” of the state, the protectorate’s “trocha code” (illegal trails) was enabled to allow the passage of large shipments of products to Venezuela through the border illegally.
“On the one hand, they charge 5% and, on the other hand, in the meetings they talk about brotherhood, that we are going to open the border, that it will never be closed again, and we don’t know how true this is, because they don’t they use any customs agency, they do not pay warehouses, they do not pay the National Institute for Drug and Food Surveillance (INVIMA),” Mr. Sarmiento said.
That is why he explained that on the Venezuelan side a distortion is being created, because that contraband does not generate income for the coffers of the nation. For this reason, he urged to correct the situation and above all, the discourse of the rulers.
The customs unions are dealing with the details so that the commercial opening happens in this Colombian-Venezuelan border, since there are several aspects that have not been taken into account, such as the high costs of tariffs for the authorization of cargo transport in Venezuela.
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