Colombia's land, water borders to remain closed in October

The Andean country, which shares a porous eastern border with Venezuela traversed by millions of migrants seeking refuge from that country's economic and social collapse, shuttered crossings in March ahead of a national lockdown. The quarantine ended at the end of August and Colombia is once again allowing international flights.

Colombia's land and water borders will remain closed until Nov. 1, the country's migration agency said on Wednesday, in an effort to stem coronavirus infections. The Andean country, which shares a porous eastern border with Venezuela traversed by millions of migrants seeking refuge from that country's economic and social collapse, shuttered crossings in March ahead of a national lockdown.

The quarantine ended at the end of August and Colombia is once again allowing international flights. The month of October will be used to "coordinate, along with local and provincial authorities, the ideal conditions to allow us to contemplate a possible reopening, without putting people at risk," the migration agency said in a statement.

More than 100,000 Venezuelan migrants have returned home as the lockdown cut them off from work opportunities, but the agency said last week small numbers have begun to return to Colombia via illegal crossings.