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Valentine's Day roses save Colombians in thorny situation

Colombians undercut by Venezuelans fleeing to the border have found respite preparing flowers for Feb 14

Published Mon, Feb 12, 2018 · 09:50 PM
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Tabio, Colombia

VALENTINE'S Day is a crazy rush for Colombia, one of the biggest flower exporters in the world, resulting in huge demand for labour in greenhouses near Bogota.

That's how Rubiela Mendez and William Perez found themselves shivering in a cold they'd never known, preparing roses in a hangar 500km from their hometown of Cucuta, on the jungle-steamy eastern border with Venezuela.

They are among hundreds of Colombians and Venezuelans brought in on buses - a 12-hour trip over not-so-great roads - to ready the fragrant flowers for shipment to the United States.

Feb 14 is one of the times of year Americans spend the most on gifts - a bonanza for Colombia, which is the source…

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