After years of broken bilateral ties, Colombia and Venezuela will re-establish their diplomatic ties on 7 August, when Gustavo Petro arrives at Casa de Narino. The decision was made official on 28 July by Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Carlos Faria, and who would be his Colombian counterpart lvaro Leyva. The officials met to discuss issues of interest to both countries and at the end of the meeting they signed a memorandum of understanding to put in writing the actions they intend to implement.
Leva and Faria specifically talked about the appointment of ambassadors to Bogota and Caracas. Similarly, trade and cooperation agreements will be reviewed. It has been emphasized that all the works will be implemented gradually.
“The Foreign Ministers expressed their willingness to move forward on a working agenda for the gradual normalization of national relations beginning on 7 August next, with the appointment of ambassadors and other diplomatic and consular officials. The External Affairs Minister reaffirms his desire to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation by reviewing all issues of bilateral interest for the benefit of our people,” reads the agreement.
The meeting was held at the Los Leon Palace located in Tachira State, Venezuela. From there, Leva said he welcomed efforts to restore bilateral ties and thus improve the living conditions of the border population, who have been greatly affected by the situation in recent years.
For its part, Nicolas Maduro’s regime celebrated the resumption of relations. Faria insisted that it was necessary “Set up a working agenda to review issues of bi-state interest and to guarantee peace on our borders.” He was very forceful about this last point, as he gave an urgent need to devise methods so that the people living in the region would not suffer the consequences of the Colombian War.
It should be remembered that it has recently emerged that members of illegal armed groups operating in Colombia sometimes cross the border to seek refuge in Venezuela. Although this has been denied by the Maduro dictatorship, the outgoing government of Ivan Duque has insisted on it, a fact that has further strained diplomatic relations.
Thus, with the new Petro government, hopes are pinned on improving relations and thus better socioeconomic status at the border. For this reason, the Venezuelan regime highlighted the willingness of the elected president of Colombia to negotiate to reunite the two countries.
“The restoration of relations between Colombia and Venezuela is a fact. Today we receive in San Cristóbal the new Foreign Minister of Colombia अलlvaro Leyva, appointed by President Gustavo Petro, who seeks to strengthen the brotherhood between our peoples. The process has to be taken forward”, Faria said.
Petro had already announced that it would seek to re-establish ties with Venezuela with the intention of improving the quality of life of border residents.
It should be noted that his government’s agenda is also reviewing environmental issues, tax reform, dialogue with the United States that finds important issues such as renegotiating FTAs; Farmers, peace, dialogue with criminal gangs in the country and ELN. In addition, the vice president, Francia Marquez, intends to set an agenda in favor of women’s rights.
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