Venezuela closes border, airspace ahead of President Maduro's inauguration

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Venezuela closed its border with Colombia and its airspace for 72 hours on Friday as President Nicolas Maduro prepared for his third-term inauguration.

Colombia's Foreign Ministry said Venezuelan authorities informed them through diplomatic channels on Thursday of the unilateral closure for "internal reasons" starting at 5 a.m. local time (1000GMT).

Colombian officials confirmed that their side of the border would remain open during this period.

Maduro won the July 2024 election with 51.2% of the vote, according to Venezuela's National Electoral Council, though opposition candidates Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado have rejected the results.