Colombia urges Venezuela to open border

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro had initially closed a 100-kilometer stretch of the border with Colombia for 72 hours. The move followed an attack by unidentified gun men on a counter-smuggling, military patrol in the western state of Tachira, which borders Colombia. Three soldiers and a civilian were wounded.

Smuggling has become a major problem as food, which is heavily subsidized by the Venezuelan government, has been taken over the border into Colombia. Venezuela has blamed widespread shortages on the smuggling of food, medicine and fuel out of the country.

On Friday Maduro extended the border closure indefinitely declared a state of emergency for the Tachira region where there is widespread opposition to his government.

Maduro also said the border area would not be opened again "until the attack on Venezuela's economy from inside Colombia stops."

In response, Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos urged Venezuela to reconsider its decision to close the border. "If it's for security reasons, the response should not be to close the border. It rather should be to cooperate more effectively with Colombian authorities," he said on Saturday.

Foreign ministers from the two countries are to meet on Wednesday to discuss the dispute.

Colombia mine clearing

Separately, Colombia's defense ministry said on Saturday that a mine-clearing operation would be restarted in the north west of the country "within a few days." The pilot plan to clear land mines had been agreed as part of peace negotiations between the government and FARC rebels.

After the 50-year conflict between left-wing rebels and government forces, thousands of land mines remain in the land. They are a factor preventing farmers and communities from resettling some areas, despite an end to fighting.

Colombia is one of the most mine-affected countries in the world, with more than 10,900 recorded deaths and injuries from landmines since 1990.

Mine-clearing had been made more difficult by activities of organized criminal gangs in the region, according to the ministry. The 'Usuga Clan' had developed into the country's largest criminal gang following the demobilization of the para-military AUC group. Security forces have been carrying out an operation against the Clan for several months.

A soldier involved in the mine-clearing was killed in July and safety procedures have been changed to prevent further injuries, according to the ministry.

jm/bw (EFE, AFP)