Venezuela and Colombia reopened the last stretch of their shared border

Venezuela and Colombia have reopened their shared border after resolving a dispute that had kept it closed for nearly seven years.

Tienditas bridge was the final step in reopening the border after the countries restored diplomatic ties last year.

Vehicles with license plates from the two South American countries honked and passengers waved flags as they crossed the Tienditas bridge, which had previously been blocked by shipping containers due to high tensions.

A ceremony was held Sunday to reopen the border crossing, which included a blessing by bishops, with officials from both sides in attendance wearing white guayaberas and carrying balloons with their countries’ shared national colours – yellow, blue, and red.

The neighbours share a 2,200-kilometer (1,350-mile) border that runs through a region riddled with armed groups contending for lucrative drug trafficking and smuggling routes.