Colombia Passport

The Colombian Association of Exporters (Analdex), rejected the threats of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez over commerce with Colombia and declared support for the government during the 21rst National Congress of Exporters in Bogotá.

The Congress, that this year dedicates to reflect in the issue of exports during the global financial crisis and strategies to open new markets, is analyzing the current political crushes between Bogotá and Caracas. President Chávez threatened several times to freeze the relation with Colombia and reduce the commerce between both nations.

Ronald Bakalartz, president of Analdex, said in the Congress to the exports:

“Que el Gobierno colombiano tome nota que pueden y deben manejar las relaciones con Venezuela de la mejor manera que consideren, sin tener que preocuparse por el efecto sobre el comercio entre los dos países. Los apoyamos en esa gestión”.

‘The Colombian government can take notice and manage the relations with Venezuela as it considers the best way, with no worries about the effects of the commercial relations between both countries. We will support its management.‘

Bakalartz said that the honor of the Colombian exporters has been trampled several times by the Venezuelan government and Chávez. He underlined that the Colombian businessmen want to contribute to the good relations with the people of Venezuela, but it should not be done through threats and blackmail.

He said that it is unlikely possible that all the sales will be frozen and that exporters will find easy other markets to substitute the Venezuelans. However, he did not mention the problem of unemployment that will be generated while new alternative markets will be found.

The commerce between Colombia and Venezuela is the biggest among two countries in South America. Several families at both sides depend on the bi national economy. In the Colombian site, about 500 thousand workers are engaged in export activities to the neighboring nation.

Bakalartz said that the Colombian authorities must increase and improve actions to facilitate the finding of new international markets for the Colombian products that are traditionally sold in Venezuela. He said also that in a number of 11 thousand companies, 6,820 are dedicated to a single foreign market.

Ministry of Commerce and Tourism, Luis Guillermo Plata, said also in the Congress that it is necessary to find new markets as soon as possible and create new offers. He said that the government has been working with Proexpo to support the companies in reaching new foreign markets.

Analdex denounced also that the Colombian exports are discriminated by the policies of Chávez in payments. Venezuela has paid to other countries, but not to Colombia. The situation is worrying the merchants that have already a debt of 275 million dollars.

The Colombian-Venezuelan chamber of commerce proposed to president Hugo Chávez to pay to the exporters in order to create options of business. The proposal is being analyzed by Caracas.

Magdalena Pardo, president of the Chamber, said that the reduction of trucks crossing the border is worrying:

Estamos esperando que el mayor impacto se presente en el segundo semestre del año, pero lo cierto es que las amenazas están perjudicando a un número importante de trabajadores que no saben qué puede pasar.

‘We are waiting a biggest impact during the second semester of the year, but it is true that the threats are hurting an important number of workers who do not know what is going to happen.‘