Photo provided by Diario La Opinion shows Venezuelan citizens carrying bags of food and other products they bought at a supermarket in San Jose de Cucuta, Colombia, on July 10, 2016. (Xinhua/Edinsson Figueroa/Diario La Opinion)

The border between Venezuela and Colombia was formally reopened Monday, after a symbolic act led by Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan ministers at the Simon Bolivar Bridge linking the two countries.

Petro said he hoped the reopening would benefit the residents on each side, who for years had to risk passing through unauthorized crossings.

After the ceremony, trucks with merchandise began to cross the border, with aluminum material from Venezuela and a shipment of medicines from Colombia.

Earlier, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro commented on his Twitter account that "firm steps were taken to advance in the total and absolute opening of the border between brotherly peoples: Colombia and Venezuela. It is a historic and transcendental day!"

Since Petro took office in Colombia this year, Caracas and Bogota have progressively advanced in normalizing ties severed in 2019.