People stand at the border with Venezuela, seen from the Brazilian city of Pacaraima, Roraima state, Brazil November 16, 2017. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo
PUERTO ORDAZ: The land border between Venezuela and Brazil re-opened on Thursday after nearly two years of closure over COVID-19 concerns, local Venezuelan authorities said on Friday.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shut crossings in March 2020 amid a nationwide quarantine, allowing only cargo transport.
The closure stopped dozens of students from attending classes in Pacaraima, on the Brazilian side, and forced Venezuelans seeking scarce food and gasoline to use illegal crossings, local human rights activists say.
Brazilian tourists were already booking tours to Venezuela's Canaima National Park, the head of Bolivar's tourism chamber Odimar Lopez told Reuters.
