Economy
The National Council for Trade and Services (Consecomercio) urged on Wednesday the Venezuelan authorities to settle their disputes with Colombia through diplomatic channels that do not undermine free trade and the supply of products from the neighboring country.

Fernando Morgado, the president of Consecomercio, warned that the cost of products is likely to increase as a result of the closure of Venezuela-Colombia borders. He added that finding suppliers of raw materials in other countries would be difficult "at a time when the whole world, including Chávez's administration, knows that there is a shortage of some products in Venezuela."

"It is not the same thing to bring a product from Colombia than importing it from Europe or the United States because the freight charges are way higher and the price of the final product is going to increase considerably," Morgado told reporters.