Colombian President Gustavo Petro with Nicolás Maduro at the Miraflores Palace during a visit in November 2023.
Guacamaya, March 7, 2025. The Colombian government is proposing a project for sustainable development in the border region of Catatumbo. This initiative would include a new land route to improve the area’s connectivity with the rest of the country and a binational Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with Venezuela.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has issued a series of decrees with a central goal: to facilitate the construction of a land route linking the municipality of Tibú, located in the Norte de Santander department, with La Gloria in the Cesar department, on the banks of the Magdalena River.
These decrees aim to provide the government with the legal tools that authorities deem necessary to carry out this infrastructure project. The construction of this road is one of the current administration’s priorities, and in this context, Petro has considered the option of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with Venezuela.
For the Colombian government, the connection between Tibú and La Gloria represents a large-scale project aimed at improving regional connectivity. This initiative is part of a broader context of social and economic development and transformation in the Catatumbo region, an area historically affected by violence. There is ongoing debate about the necessity and legality of the decrees.
However, while the Constitutional Court reviews the decrees on internal commotion, the Colombian government has stated that the regional development plan also includes the eradication of illicit crops and the improvement of the quality of life for the region’s inhabitants.
In this regard, Petro has considered the binational SEZ, which, in his view, could serve as a development alternative for the region. In part of his speech, he mentioned the possibility of discussing the proposal with Maduro.
In February, the Venezuelan president proposed the creation of a “large binational economic zone” with Colombia, aiming to provide economic alternatives for the inhabitants of the Catatumbo border region.
What are Special Economic Zones?
SEZs are geographically delimited areas within a country that operate under a special and extraordinary legal and socioeconomic regime.
SEZs have laws and regulations different from the rest of the country, allowing them to offer a more favorable environment for business. This typically includes fiscal incentives, such as tax exemptions or reductions, as well as streamlined bureaucratic procedures to attract investment.
The Venezuelan government has promoted the creation of SEZs as part of its strategy to diversify the economy, according to its authorities.
SEZs established in Venezuela include the Paraguaná Peninsula, La Tortuga Island, and areas in the states of Aragua, La Guaira, and Nueva Esparta. Notably, they operate under a system of free convertibility.
The proposal with Colombia is the first binational initiative involving Venezuela. However, a similar legal framework had previously been proposed for the area between the Colombian city of Cúcuta and the Venezuelan towns of Ureña and San Antonio del Táchira.
Conflict at the Catatumbo
The Colombian government seeks to counter the influence of drug trafficking and promote sustainable development in the region through this initiative. Since January 16, the Catatumbo region, particularly the border municipality of Tibú, has experienced an escalation of guerrilla violence.
The result of this violence is a humanitarian crisis of significant magnitude, with over 55,000 displaced people and at least 70 lives lost due to the violence.
“It is the Mexican cartels that are giving the orders in Catatumbo, and surely there are Venezuelan and Colombian cartels as well,” Petro stated in his speech in Tibú.
The presence of international cartels in Catatumbo underscores the complexity of the drug trafficking problem in the region. Historically, the area has been affected by violence and geographic isolation. Experts warn that cooperation between the two countries in the Catatumbo region is crucial for its economic development.
