Facing unfounded accusations from opposition forces, President Gustavo Petro reaffirms his commitment to the Colombia-Venezuela binational economic zone, highlighting its positive impact on border communities and regional cooperation to confront illegal armed groups.

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On Friday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro defended the existing agreement that establishes a shared economic zone with Venezuela, emphasizing that its main purpose is to improve the living conditions of border communities and facilitate the reunion of families separated by years of armed conflict and social rupture.

This long-standing initiative represents a joint effort to promote social, economic, and regional development in the Colombian departments of La Guajira, Norte de Santander, and Cesar, as well as the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Táchira.

Petro directly responded to accusations by Senator David Luna from the Cambio Radical party, who labeled the agreement a “dangerous act of surrendering sovereignty” that supposedly opens the door for Venezuelan influence on Colombian territory and could facilitate illicit activities such as drug trafficking and illegal mining. The president debunked these claims, stating:

“No Colombian soldier will cross into Venezuela, nor will any Venezuelan soldier cross into Colombia. While some are looking for oil, we just want families to reunite, produce, and live well.”

Ningún soldado colombiano pasará la frontera hacia Venezuela, ningún soldado venezolano la pasará en dirección a Colombia.

Mientras unos buscan el petroleo, nosotros solo queremos que se encuentren las familias y produzcan y puedan vivir bien. https://t.co/DnHlH8PH2x

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 25, 2025

The text reads: No Colombian soldier will cross the border into Venezuela, nor will any Venezuelan soldier cross it into Colombia.

While some are looking for oil, we just want families to reunite, produce, and be able to live well.

The binational agreement entails broad collaboration across key sectors such as health, education, agriculture, trade, energy, and security, guided by an inclusive, long-term vision. A central pillar of the plan is replacing illegal crops with productive alternatives that generate dignified employment and foster legal economies in historically marginalized and violence-affected areas.

Additionally, special customs regimes are implemented to facilitate border crossings and strengthen bilateral trade, contributing to economic revitalization and social cohesion. Both nations characterize this binational economic zone as an innovative model to confront the presence of illegal armed groups and open space for territorial integration rooted in social justice and popular sovereignty.

The agreement has an initial validity of five years, renewable, and does not entail budgetary commitments that restrict Colombia’s autonomy. The binational economic zone is the outcome of shared political will that rejects reactionary stances and enables development with sovereignty and peace amid geopolitical tensions and external pressures.

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