The Colombia–Venezuela Boundary Treaty of 1941, officially the Border Demarcation Agreement and Navigation of the Common Rivers between Colombia and Venezuela, and unofficially the López de Mesa-Gil Borges Treaty, was an

agreement Agreement may refer to: Agreements between people and organizations * Gentlemen's agreement, not enforceable by law * Trade agreement, between countries * Consensus (disambiguation), a decision-making process * Contract, enforceable in a court of ...

signed between the governments of

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

and

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

on the land border limits on April 5, 1941, in Colombian city of

Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander Villa del Rosario is a Colombian municipality and city located in the eastern part of North Santander department. It is part of the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta. The municipality is bordered to the north by Venezuela and the municipality of Cú ...

, by the Ministers of Foreign Relations of Venezuela, Esteban Gil Borges, and Colombia, Luis López de Mesa. After almost 60 years of negotiations on the demarcation of the Venezuelan–Colombian border (1881–1938), the treaty of 1941 put an end to this long process. In this treaty, both parties acknowledged that the border had been fully demarcated, differences over boundary matters were completed, and recognized the work carried out by the 1901 Demarcation Committee and the Swiss experts Committee as valid demarcation. The exchange of ratifications of this agreement was made in

Caracas Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...

, on September 12, 1941. The land border between Colombia and Venezuela is a conflict zone of perennial tension between the two countries, due to problems such as

Illegal drug trade The illegal drug trade, drug trafficking, or narcotrafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drug prohibition, prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibitionism, prohibit trade, exce ...

, smuggling or illegal trade, the presence of high-risk diseases that often spread on both sides of the boundary lines, and the presence of the Colombian guerrillas.

References

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External links

Efemérides venezolanas (the treaty text is at the bottom of the page)
1941 in Venezuela 1941 in Colombia Colombia–Venezuela border Colombia–Venezuela relations Treaties concluded in 1941 Boundary treaties