The Heat: Venezuela-Colombia border dispute sparks mass migration

The Heat

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro issued a state of emergency last month and has closed several border crossings with Colombia, deployed thousands of troops and deported some 1,400 Colombians in a crackdown on smuggling and crime.

An additional 15,000 people have also fled the border voluntarily, many crossing a river with only what they can carry on their backs, the United Nations said.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos says Venezuela’s actions have caused a humanitarian crisis and has requested a meeting with Maduro.

This isn’t the first time that relations between Venezuela and Colombia have dramatically deteriorated. In 2010, the two countries briefly, broke off diplomatic relations.

For the latest on the border crisis, CCTV America’s Stephen Gibbs reports from Caracas, Venezuela and CCTV America’s Michelle Begue reports from Bogota, Colombia.

 
 

 

The Heat discussed the border crisis with Eva Golinger, an attorney, author and was an advisor to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela’s partial border shutdown was extended this week and Maduro sent another 3,000 troops to the area. For more on the strained relations between Venezuela and Colombia, the Heat interviewed the following experts:

  • Alberto Bernal is a Colombian economist and head of research at Bulltick Capital Markets.
  • Eric Farnsworth, Vice President of the Americas Society and Council of the Americas.