Middle-class Venezuelans liquidate savings to stockpile food

An estimated 35,000 Venezuelans crossed the Simon Bolivar bridge in search of food and medicine on Saturday.

Venezuela’s government had closed all crossings a year ago to crack down on smuggling along the border.

The opening lasted into Sunday, and reports indicate that some 123,000 people crossed the border over the weekend.

Maduro had ordered the border closing in August 2015 after an alleged Colombian paramilitary unit attacked a Venezuelan military patrol, wounding three people and raising tensions between the two governments. They were focused on the prospect of fully stocked supermarket shelves and the opportunity to buy even non-essential indulgences like nail polish and beer. “It’s unusual to see this, but we know we’re going to find what we want in Colombia, so it’s a nice difference”.

Border crossings over two worldwide bridges were opened in the early Sunday morning hours without restrictions, although identity cards were checked.

On Sunday, state TV ran footage of Venezuelans returning from Colombia empty-handed, dissuaded by what they said was price-gouging and the threat of violence by their neighbors.

In the past week, Caracas announced its armed forces would coordinate the distribution of food and medicine as part of President Nicolas Maduro’s efforts to control severe shortages of staple goods in the crisis-hit OPEC country.

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that at least 35,000 Venezuelans entered Colombia on Saturday, and their entry took place “in an orderly manner and under conditions of security”.

Colombian officials seemed to welcome the influx of Venezuelans, with authorities on the ground calling it a “humanitarian corridor”.