The issues behind the resumption of relations between Colombia and Venezuela
Former Colombian senator Armando Benedetti (left) has been appointed as ambassador to Venezuela while former Venezuelan foreign minister Felix Plasencia (right) has been chosen to be ambassador to Colombia.
© CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ, GUILLERMO LEGARIA/AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Colombia and Venezuela formalize the resumption of their diplomatic relations.
After three years of rupture, the two neighbors have reconnected with the arrival of their respective ambassadors in Caracas and Bogota.
In addition to a common history, the two countries have shared interests in economic, security and strategic terms.
Advertising
Read more
Ties between Colombia and Venezuela had been at a standstill since 2019 and the decision of Ivan Duque, then Colombian President (from 2018 to 2022), to
reject the re-election of Nicolas Maduro
.
He had recognized Juan Guaido as President of Venezuela.
But in three years, this total opposition to the Chavista government, in line with the United States of America, has produced no positive results.
Today, Colombia has moved to the left with the election of Gustavo Petro.
The latter chose his right-hand man during his campaign,
Armando Benedetti, as ambassador to Venezuela
.
The Venezuelan ambassador to Colombia will be Felix Plasencia.
Bienvenido a nuestro país, embajador @plasenciafelixr.
Estoy seguro de que, trabajando de la mano, fortaleceremos y reconstructmos nuestros lazos de amistad.
https://t.co/Kou3ICOCS2
— Armando Benedetti (@AABenedetti) August 29, 2022
One of the main issues is the
reopening of the borders
between the two countries.
They run for 2,200 kilometers and have been closed since 2015. Since then, the families who live on both sides have been separated, but above all, the situation has favored the rise of the smuggling of goods, drugs and Human being.
Thousands of Venezuelans have resorted to smugglers to seek refuge in Colombia.
This reopening may, in fact, take time.
It will be necessary to rehabilitate the infrastructures and especially to counter the armed groups deeply installed in the region.
The latter refuse to lose the rents drawn from this blocking situation.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
Colombia
Venezuela
Gustavo Petro
Nicola Maduro
juan guaido
Ivan Duque