Colombia's border with Venezuela closes early for presidential election

The border between Venezuela and Colombia experienced an early closure on June 21, a day before the scheduled second round of the Colombian presidential election. Colombian authorities advanced the measure, initially planned for later, leading to confusion and significant delays for travelers.

Reports from local media indicated that international bridges connecting the two nations saw a marked decrease in traffic from early Saturday morning. In Cúcuta, a major hub for binational movement, official crossings were restricted before 7:00 a.m. in accordance with the Colombian government's decision.

Migración Colombia announced that the closure was expedited following a modification to the existing decree. The agency stated via social media that all land and river border crossings were immediately shut down upon the publication of the new official directive. This measure was also implemented in the Colombian border states of Norte de Santander, Arauca, and La Guajira.

Originally, the Colombian government's Decree 0612 of 2026 stipulated the border would be closed from 7:00 p.m. on June 20 until 7:00 a.m. on June 22. However, Decree 0631 moved the closure to 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, to enhance security during the election. The final closure of border crossings occurred around 9:30 a.m., leaving many individuals stranded on both sides. A brief reopening of the bridges allowed some citizens to reach their destinations before they were closed again. Security forces are now guarding the border crossings connecting Colombia's Norte de Santander with Venezuela's Táchira state.