Border zone bears brunt of Venezuela-Colombia spat

* Political dispute hampers trade, stresses locals

* War viewed as highly unlikely despite Chavez comment

By Andrew Cawthorne

SAN ANTONIO, Venezuela, Nov 12 (Reuters) - If South American neighbors Venezuela and Colombia are about to go to war, you would never guess it on the "Simon Bolivar" bridge.

Trade may be down, but the bustle of cars, motorbikes and people is still incessant -- carrying Venezuelan gasoline one way, Colombian potatoes the other on the main crossing between the two nations, named for their shared independence hero.

In "Brotherhood Square" beside the border bridge, Colombians, Venezuelans and a few cows share a relaxed moment in the shade. Thousands of people, many with friends and family members on both sides, cross back and forth each day.

"Look around you. We live off them, they live off us. So all this talk of war is crazy," said Janeth Morena, who runs a supermarket in the town of San Antonio on the Venezuelan side.

But below the hurly-burly of life on the border, there is deep anxiety over the accusations of spying, violent incidents and military movements that have increased friction between the ideologically opposed governments.

The long-running diplomatic dispute took a worrying turn at the weekend when President Hugo Chavez told his army "to prepare for war". That caused uproar in Bogota, where the government is calling for international censure of Chavez.