Colombia-Venezuela border: Securitisation of migration and Venezuela’s political crisis

Abstract

Colombia and Venezuela share a geographi­cal border of 1,274 miles. Although both countries have historically had contentious border crossings, the antagonistic nature of migration across the borderlands has increased following Venezuela’s current in­ternal political crisis. The article argues that Venezuela’s political climate has led to further securitisation of migration across the Colombian-Venezuelan border. It sup­ports this argument in three ways. First, the article discusses the border as both a geo­graphical and a man-made border. It also examines the similarities and differences that exist across the Colombian-Venezuelan border. The countries share the same lan­guage, Spanish, which unites the region and its diverse peoples with a shared history. Nevertheless, socio-economic, environmen­tal and cultural differences widen the divid­ing lines between these two nations. Second, the article explores the bor­der crossing (migration) trends. The article further discusses the effects and reasons for such border crossings. Third, it explains the securitisation theory and uses it to discuss how the border has become increasingly se­curitised by local and international actors. Finally, the article calls for a de-securitised approach to cross-border migration. In this regard, the article supports greater bilateral, regional and international cooperation to address the plight of people crossing the border and living in border regions