A user on Twitter said members of the Wayuu Tribe were being allowed to cross the border between Venezuela and Colombia. Photo by PanchoArias2012 / Twitter

Members of the Wayuu Tribe aren't able to freely cross the Venezuela-Colombia border as promised, the Associated Press reports.

The Venezuelan government closed a series of crossings along the border with Colombia in an attempt to crack down on smuggling. As a result, tribal members who normally travel between both countries say they have been trapped.

“We woke up very sad about the border closure," tribal activist Ricardo Fernandez told the AP. "I don’t think this is what we deserve, because all we do is take care of our land."

The Venezuelan government sent 3,000 troops to the region where the tribe is based to address smuggling and immigration. More than 437,000 Wayuu live on both sides of the border, according to Wikipedia.

Get the Story:
New Venezuelan border closure strands cars, workers (AP 9/9)
Venezuela expands anti-smuggling crackdown with new closure (AP 9/8)

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