Paradiplomatic Cross-Border Cooperation

The bilateral relationship between Colombia and Venezuela is marked by intense trade, migration, and (in)security dynamics, particularly along their shared border. While national governments retain formal authority over these domains, local and regional actors - especially the cities of Cúcuta, Villa del Rosario, and Santander in Colombia, as well as San Cristóbal and San Antonio in Venezuela - have emerged as key players through paradiplomatic initiatives. These cities leverage their geographical and socio-political position to promote cross-border development, coordinate migration management, and address security challenges. In doing so, they seek to mitigate their peripheral status in relation to national political centers. This chapter analyzes policies, discourses, and institutional frameworks that shape current paradiplomatic practices on the northern Colombian and western Venezuelan borders. It highlights how locally driven cooperation arrangements, though rooted in regional needs, extend into the international realm, generating significant political and social impacts. The empirical focus centers on migration and security, two highly salient regional issues, and explores the tensions and opportunities of cross-border cooperation.