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local Saturday 6 auguSt 2022
First vice-president of Fedecamaras Venezuela:
“Businessmen and other stakeholders continue with great

optimism for the possibility of reopening the border”

ORANJESTAD – Since 2019, need to close the border.
the border between Aruba
and Venezuela has been About three years since
closed, both for direct the closing of the border,
flights and direct maritime the negotiation processes
transport. This has had an to achieve the objective
impact on different sec- of reopening the border
tors, mainly on commerce. proved to be complicat-
During an interview with ed processes requiring a
our reporter, Mr. Adan Ce- lot of diplomacy between
lis, first vice-president of both countries, as well as
Fedecamaras Venezuela, concrete agreements re-
explained the importance, garding a lot of necessary
and plans of sensitization to control measures. But Celis
end the border closing be- says that they remain opti-
tween the two countries. mistic that soon the border
can be reopened for com-
Celis, who is on a visit to merce.
Aruba and had plans to
meet with the minister of “I believe in the process we
Labor, Energy and Integra- are in, and if we continue
tion, Glenbert Croes, ex- doing this, the businessmen
plained during his interview and many other people
that the topic of sensitiza- involved in the subject will
tion has a very important continue with a lot of op-
role in order to reach the timism, the reality that we
objective of reopening the can reopen the borders for is still a very good health ditionally and as we hope it the border between Vene-
border. “Sensitize public commerce but also for the system in the country, par- will continue”, he finalized. zuela and Aruba would re-
opinion and sensitize the of- exchange of people”, Celis ticularly the private health open and direct flights be-
ficials from the Venezuelan added. system, which he indicated The situation regarding tween the countries would
government as well as the still counts with very good the closing of the border resume. This news caused
governments of the ABC Without a doubt the rela- doctors. between Aruba and Ven- a commotion, but Wever-
islands, in order to lift the tionship between the two ezuela started when Ven- Croes denied its veracity.
restrictions between these nations, Aruba and Ven- Celis mentioned also that ezuela’s president, Nicolas “We are keeping [the bor-
sister nations”, Celis said. ezuela, is one with a lot of Venezuelan tourism plays Maduro decided to close der] closed, pending on
history, and during our in- a very important role for the border for a period of Venezuelan authorities. We
He said that beyond the terview, Celis highlighted the Dutch islands and of 72 hours, starting on the are working on it], she said.
differences that might exist the ‘historical brotherhood’ course all the factors for 5th of January 2018. This To squelch the rumors, the
between governments, the between the peoples. He commerce. “Thus we will measure was directed to government of Aruba sent
people need to be united, pointed out that there are continue with this process Curaçao and Bonaire, and an official press release to
there must be no one tak- possibilities for all type of of sensitization and we will back then, Maduro said inform the people of Aruba
ing away liberty and sup- commerce, tourism, and continue with the effort to that this decision was to that the border would not
pressing the people, and the opportunities for health- reopen the borders, and to “put pressure for a healthy reopen: “We inform that
he assures that there are care. Despite the humani- have exchange of persons exchange”. the government of Aruba
ways to keep everything tarian crisis in Venezuela, and products, as it was tra- is still in negotiations with
under control without the Celis emphasizes that there In 2019, prime minister of Venezuelan authorities. The
Aruba, Evelyn Wever-Croes prime minister asks every
noted that the vice-pres- citizen of our country, par-
ident of Venezuela gave ticularly Venezuelan citi-
declarations that they had zens who have made our
decided to reopen the country their home, to re-
border, but on the 10th of main calm and not believe
May, Wever-Croes signed news that are not from the
a decree to close the bor- government. Aruba;s gov-
der. This was motivated ernment continues with the
by the political, economic efforts for a responsible and
and social situation that controlled reopening of the
the neighboring country border, but for this, more
was going through, dur- cooperation from Venezu-
ing which Aruba registered elan authorities is needed.”
and increase in the amount It is still not known if or when
of immigrants, which repre- the border between Aruba
sented a public order and and Venezuela will reopen,
national security problem but as Mr. Celis indicated,
for Aruba. the reopening of the bor-
der presents big opportu-
Last month, news circulat- nities for commercial ex-
ed on some media and so- change that will greatly
cial media indicating that benefit both countries.