Venezuelan, Colombian presidents meet for 1st time in years as ties improve

The Presidents of Venezuela and Colombia have met for the first time in years as the neighbouring nations continue to improve their ties and promote economic and trade cooperation.

This is the first visit by a Colombian head of state to Venezuela since 2016, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro welcomed his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro at the Miraflores presidential palace, where the latter was honored and treated with traditional Colombian music.

Caracas severed diplomatic relations with Bogota in 2019 after the government of then Colombian President Ivan Duque recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's acting president.

Duque had also accused Venezuela of backing rebel groups operating along the countries' 2,200 km shared border.

After Petro succeeded Duque, he signaled a shift in foreign policy towards Venezuela, and Caracas expressed its willingness to restore ties.

The two countries restored full diplomatic relations in late August, reopening border crossings and sending ambassadors to each other's capitals.

--IANS

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